THE THIRD BEER WASN’T THE END? STEPHEN SCHNEIDER’S 0.16% BAC NOW PUTS HIS TIMELINE UNDER THE MICROSCOPE

Stephen Schneider gave investigators a specific account of what he drank before taking his grandchildren out on the boat. But the reported 0.16% BAC has raised new questions about the final hours before the Barnegat Bay crash.

According to court documents, Schneider told police he had consumed three beers over approximately two hours while having dinner with his wife, daughter, son-in-law and two grandchildren at MJ’s Restaurant Bar & Grill in Bayville.

The children later boarded Schneider’s boat for the trip back to their grandparents’ home.

Around 9 p.m. on July 19, his 28-foot Tidewater Custom 280 struck an Intracoastal Waterway channel marker in Barnegat Bay.

The impact sent 9-year-old Mya Golabek and her 7-year-old brother, 7-year-old Sigmund Golabek, into the water. Both children were wearing life jackets, but they were later pronounced deceased at a hospital.

THEN CAME THE 0.16% RESULT

The biggest question surrounding Schneider’s account is now the toxicology evidence.

Authorities say his blood alcohol level was approximately 0.16%, twice New Jersey’s legal limit of 0.08% for operating a vessel. Prosecutors cited that figure when arguing that Schneider was significantly impaired.

That does not, by itself, establish exactly how many drinks Schneider consumed.

But it does give investigators another important piece of evidence to examine alongside his statement, the timing of the meal, witness accounts and the circumstances surrounding the crash.

RECONSTRUCTING THE FINAL HOURS

Schneider reportedly told investigators that his drinks consisted of two Guinness beers and one Miller Lite.

That specificity makes the timeline particularly important.

When were the drinks ordered?

When was the last one consumed?

How much time passed between the final drink and the crash?

And what do restaurant records and witness accounts show about the evening?

Those details could become significant as both sides examine the circumstances leading up to the collision.

THE BOAT IS ALSO PART OF THE INVESTIGATION

Alcohol is not the only issue being examined.

Schneider reportedly told investigators he was traveling at around 20 mph and saw the channel marker only at the last second.

Authorities have said the navigational marker was functioning properly, while the defense has indicated it intends to investigate the marker’s condition and other circumstances surrounding the collision.

That means the case could ultimately involve several competing questions — alcohol consumption, visibility, speed, navigation and Schneider’s ability to operate the vessel safely.

A CASE BUILT AROUND THE TIMELINE

For prosecutors, the reported 0.16% BAC is already a major piece of evidence.

For the defense, the precise circumstances surrounding the blood test, the boat and the timeline may become important areas of scrutiny.

Schneider has been charged with two counts of reckless vessel homicide, operating a vessel under the influence and reckless operation of a vessel. He was released from jail pending trial under conditions that prohibit him from operating a boat or motor vehicle while he undergoes a court-ordered evaluation.

The next stage of the case could therefore turn on details that seemed ordinary at the time — a dinner, a drink order, a departure time and the final minutes on the water.

Three beers was Schneider’s reported account. A 0.16% BAC is the figure prosecutors now point to. What happened between those two pieces of evidence will likely remain one of the most closely examined questions in the case.