SUMMARY: Boating Collision / Boating While Impaired
CASE#: 24WM0001696
DATE: 9/2/2024 1300 hrs
On September 2, 2024 at approximately 1:10 PM, the Wilmington Police Department received a report of a boat collision on Harriman Reservoir in the area of Ward’s Cove. Wilmington Police Department responded to scene of the collision where they found that the boat involved had sunk in over 70’ of water. The operator who was the only occupant of the boat had been picked up by another boat and transported to the shore. Wilmington Police located witnesses to the boat collision at the scene that described the boat as operating erratically and in a careless manner prior to it being driven into the rocks along the shoreline. During the investigation evidence was found where the boat involved had collided with rocks along the west shore line of the reservoir causing the hull damage which resulted in the boat sinking. The operator, Jonathon Strain Age: 62 of New York, NY was located on the shoreline and during contact with police indicators of impairment were observed. Strain was screened for operating a boat while impaired and was evaluated by a DRE. During processing Strain refused to provide a sample of his blood as evidence and a search warrant was requested and issued to take samples of his blood. Strain was processed at Wilmington Police Department and released on a citation to appear in Windham District Court on October 29, 2024 to answer for the charges of Boating Under the Influence-drugs and Operation of Vessels-Careless and Negligent Operation. The boat involved was a 2009 MB Sports Wakeboarding boat which was recovered by a salvage company utilizing divers and airbags on September 11, 2024 from Harriman Reservoir.
Wilmington Police was assisted by Fish and Wildlife, Wilmington Fire Department and Deerfield Valley Rescue.
