According to a news report by The Baltimore Sun, Del. Donald H. Dwyer, Jr. was recently involved in a serious MD boating accident that injured six people, including four children. The Maryland lawmaker was piloting a speedboat on the Magothy River in Anne Arundel County when his watercraft collided with a vessel full of children, leaving three of the child passengers to be treated and released for minor cuts, bruises, and one broken arm. The fourth injured child, a five-year-old girl, was thrown from the craft during the aquatic collision and suffered a fractured skull.
The MD delegate admitted to drinking alcohol while he was operating his 27-foot Baja, named The Legislator, and appeared before reporters at the Maryland Shock Trauma Center to tell them his blood alcohol level was 0.2, which is more than twice the legal limit for operating a boat. Dwyer stated he “deeply regrets [his] actions and asks for your forgiveness,” adding that his thoughts are with the others injured in the collision.
At present time, a police sergeant with the Maryland Natural Resources Department said investigators will need weeks to reconstruct the accident and are awaiting blood tests to confirm whether Dwyer was boating under the influence. He is unsure how the delegate was aware of his blood alcohol content (BAC). If the lawmaker is found to be at fault for the accident, he would at-most be charged with the misdemeanor crimes of negligence and operating a boat under the influence.
Combined, these charges carry maximum penalties of $1,500 and 13 months in prison.
The negligent actions of any driver, whether on the water or on dry land, always have the potential to harm innocent people who may simply be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Baltimore boat accident attorney Steven H. Heisler has a successful track record of obtaining excellent results for injury victims harmed by another’s reckless actions. To see how Mr. Heisler can help you obtain the compensation you need to recover after a boating crash, call (877) 228-4878 to schedule a complimentary consultation.