New Jersey man charged with killing 70-year-old woman in drunken boating accident
A fatal boating accident in August has led to the arrest of a New Jersey man for first degree aggravated manslaughter, according to the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office Tuesday.
Jeffrey M. Jastrzembski, 53, of Atlantic City is being charged in the death of Norma Michaels, a 70-year-old woman who was swimming near a dock on the Intercoastal Waterway in Atlantic City, according to prosecutors.
About 5 p.m. Aug. 12, 2023, Jastrzembski accelerated the boat he was driving to a "high rate of speed" near the Albany Avenue Bridge. He made an "aggressive" turn that caused the boat's propeller to hit and kill Michaels, according to the prosecutor's office.
Michaels, an Atlantic City resident, was swimming near a floating dock at a private residence, according to 6 ABC News.
Jastrzembski had a blood-alcohol content between 0.19% and 0.23% at the time of the crash, according to the prosecutor's office. He was arrested Jan. 11.
Even without an injury involved, drunken driving on New Jersey's waterways is treated as strictly as driving on a road.
For a first boating under the influence (BUI) offense with a BAC from 0.08% to 0.10%, the boat driver will have a boating license suspension for one year and a suspension of vehicle driving privileges for three months. Fines and possible jail time can be added on. For a higher BAC, the one-year boating license suspension remains, and driving a car is suspended for up to one year. Fines and jail time increase as well.
The investigation into the Atlantic City accident was a collaboration between the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office Fatal Crash Investigation Unit and the New Jersey State Police.
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: New Jersey man charged with boating death of Atlantic City woman
