Drunk boater Kevin Wells charged with homicide after Jersey Shore crash kills passenger
Kevin Wells, 40, was arrested and charged with vessel homicide after his intoxicated boat struck a channel marker near Toms River, killing passenger Michael Bereheiko.
On July 25, 40-year-old Kevin Wells was operating a 32-foot Boston Whaler when he collided with a channel marker near Toms River, New Jersey, while allegedly intoxicated. The crash killed 26-year-old Michael T. Bereheiko, a Green Brook construction worker, and seriously injured two 27-year-old men and a 24-year-old woman. After the impact, Wells reportedly rushed the vessel to a nearby residence before first responders arrived, and Bereheiko was pronounced dead at a hospital.
Authorities have charged Wells with reckless vessel homicide, two counts of assault by vessel while intoxicated, and a refusal to submit to a blood-alcohol test. He is expected to appear before Ocean County Court, though his legal representation has not been identified. This case follows two earlier summer incidents on the Jersey Shore where intoxicated boaters struck channel markers, leading to fatalities.
Why it matters
The charges highlight growing concerns over drunken boating and public safety on the Jersey Shore.
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