NJ Grandfather Charged in Boat Crash That Killed Two Grandchildren
What happened
A grandfather who was behind the wheel of a boat when it crashed in Barnegat Bay last month, killing his two young grandchildren, is now accused of operating the vessel while under the influence.
Stephen Schneider, 64, was booked into the Ocean County Jail on Friday and charged with two counts of reckless vessel homicide, according to jail and police records.
The charges allege Schneider was under the influence while operating the boat on July 19, when it struck an Intracoastal Waterway channel marker in Berkeley Township.
The impact threw his grandchildren, 9-year-old Mya Golabek and 7-year-old Sigmund “Siggy” Golabek, into the water.
Police previously said Schneider and his 64-year-old wife pulled both children from the bay following the crash. The siblings, who lived in Lacey Township, did not survive.
The new charges add another devastating layer to a tragedy that shook the Ocean County community.
Mya and Siggy's obituaries described them as more than siblings — they were best friends who shared “laughter, adventures, and countless memories.”
Schneider is accused of the crimes; the charges are allegations, and he is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
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