GRANDFATHER FACES UP TO 20 YEARS AFTER BEING CHARGED IN BARNEGAT BAY BOAT CRASH THAT CLAIMED HIS TWO GRANDCHILDREN

BERKELEY TOWNSHIP, N.J. — A New Jersey grandfather is facing serious criminal charges after prosecutors accused him of operating a boat while impaired by alcohol before it struck a channel marker on Barnegat Bay, sending his two young grandchildren into the water.

Stephen Schneider, 64, of Bayville, is charged with two counts of reckless vessel homicide/death by vessel, a second-degree offense, along with operating a vessel under the influence and reckless operation of a vessel.

The charges stem from the July 19 crash that claimed the lives of 9-year-old Mya Golabek and her 7-year-old brother, Sigmund Golabek.

A FAMILY BOAT RIDE ENDED IN TRAGEDY

According to authorities, Schneider was operating a roughly 28- to 30-foot boat through the Intracoastal Waterway in Berkeley Township at about 9 p.m. when the vessel struck a navigational channel marker.

The impact threw Mya and Sigmund into the water.

Both children were wearing life jackets, according to authorities. Schneider and another adult passenger pulled the children from the water and attempted lifesaving measures before they were transported to a hospital, where both were pronounced dead.

For the family, a summer evening on the water had turned into an unimaginable loss.

PROSECUTORS SAY SCHNEIDER’S BLOOD-ALCOHOL LEVEL WAS TWICE THE LEGAL LIMIT

A major development came during Schneider’s detention hearing.

Prosecutors said his blood-alcohol concentration was approximately 0.16%, twice New Jersey’s legal limit of 0.08%.

The prosecution argued that the alleged level demonstrated the degree of impairment under which Schneider chose to operate the vessel.

Schneider reportedly told investigators that he had consumed three beers over about two hours while having dinner with his wife, daughter, son-in-law and grandchildren.

The defense has indicated that it wants to independently examine the alcohol evidence.

THE DEFENSE IS QUESTIONING THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE CRASH

Schneider’s attorney, William Cunningham, has argued that the crash was not intentional and has raised questions about the circumstances surrounding the channel marker.

Among the issues the defense wants investigators to examine is whether the marker was properly illuminated that night.

The defense has also indicated that it intends to have Schneider’s blood-alcohol testing independently reviewed.

Those issues could become important as prosecutors and defense attorneys begin building their respective cases.

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

HIS OWN FAMILY ASKED THE JUDGE TO RELEASE HIM

In an extraordinary development, the children’s parents supported Schneider’s release from custody while the case moves forward.

His attorney presented a letter describing Schneider as a loving grandfather and emphasizing the important role he had played in Mya and Sigmund’s lives.

Despite prosecutors’ request that he remain detained, Judge Wendel Daniels granted Schneider conditional release.

He is temporarily prohibited from operating a boat or motor vehicle while he undergoes a court-ordered assessment.

THE NEXT COURT DATE IS SEPTEMBER 15

Schneider’s next court appearance is scheduled for September 15 at 11 a.m.

By then, prosecutors and defense attorneys are expected to continue examining the evidence surrounding the crash, including Schneider’s alleged impairment and the circumstances surrounding the channel marker collision.

The case is still in its early stages.

WHAT COULD HAPPEN NEXT?

The two reckless vessel homicide charges are classified as second-degree offenses under New Jersey law.

The potential maximum punishment associated with the two counts can reach 20 years, depending on how the charges are ultimately resolved and how any sentences are imposed.

But that is a maximum potential sentence, not a prediction of the outcome. Schneider remains entitled to a presumption of innocence, and prosecutors must prove their allegations beyond a reasonable doubt.

TWO CHILDREN REMEMBERED AS BEST FRIENDS

Mya and Sigmund were not only siblings. Their family described them as best friends who shared laughter, adventures and countless memories.

Their deaths have left their parents and relatives facing the devastating loss of two children at once.

Now, their grandfather’s future will be decided in the same court system where prosecutors are attempting to determine exactly what happened on Barnegat Bay that night.

THE QUESTIONS THAT COULD DEFINE THE CASE

As the investigation continues, several crucial questions remain:

How impaired was Schneider when he took control of the boat?

What happened in the moments immediately before the vessel struck the marker?

Was the channel marker properly illuminated?

And most importantly, does the evidence establish that Schneider’s conduct meets the legal standard for reckless vessel homicide?

Those questions will ultimately be answered in court.

For now, the tragedy has left a family grieving, a grandfather facing potentially lengthy prison time, and a September court date looming over a case that has already shocked the New Jersey shore community.

One family outing. Two children lost. And a criminal case that could carry consequences for decades.