CASE RECORDS DETAIL HOW ALCOHOL MAY HAVE IMPAIRED STEPHEN SCHNEIDER BEFORE FATAL BOAT CRASH

BARNEGAT BAY, N.J. — Investigative records in the case against Stephen Schneider are providing prosecutors with a closer look at what may have happened in the moments before a boat collision that claimed the lives of his two grandchildren.

According to authorities, Schneider was operating the vessel when it struck a channel marker in Barnegat Bay on July 19. His grandchildren, 9-year-old Mya and 7-year-old Sigmund “Siggy”, were aboard at the time.

ALCOHOL AT THE CENTER OF THE CASE

Schneider’s reported blood alcohol concentration was 0.16%, according to investigators. Prosecutors argue that his level of intoxication affected critical abilities needed to safely operate the boat.

Investigators have focused on whether alcohol impaired his judgment, reaction time and coordination in the moments leading up to the collision.

Those allegations are significant because prosecutors are seeking to establish that the crash was not simply an unavoidable accident, but the result of decisions Schneider allegedly made before and during the trip.

Schneider has pleaded not guilty and is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.

THE CHILDREN WERE THROWN INTO THE WATER

Mya and Siggy were reportedly seated toward the front of the boat when the vessel collided with the marker.

The impact sent both children into the water.

Emergency responders and family members attempted to locate and rescue them, but both children ultimately died from injuries sustained in the crash.

The circumstances surrounding their positions on the boat, the visibility of the channel marker and Schneider’s ability to react are expected to remain important issues as the case moves forward.

DEFENSE CHALLENGES THE CRASH CIRCUMSTANCES

While prosecutors are emphasizing Schneider’s alleged impairment, his defense has indicated that it intends to examine other factors surrounding the collision.

Among the issues being considered are the physical conditions on the water, the channel marker and how visible it was at night.

That could create a legal battle over whether the collision was caused solely by Schneider’s alleged impairment or whether other circumstances contributed to the crash.

WHAT PROSECUTORS MUST PROVE

The case ultimately will turn on whether prosecutors can establish the elements of the charges beyond a reasonable doubt.

Evidence concerning Schneider’s alcohol level could become an important part of that argument, but the defense is expected to challenge how that evidence relates to his actual ability to operate the vessel at the time of the collision.

For Mya and Siggy’s family, however, the legal arguments cannot change what happened that night.

Two children went out on the water expecting a family outing. Moments later, a collision changed the lives of everyone aboard — and now the court will have to determine exactly what role alcohol, visibility and Schneider’s actions played in the tragedy.