The accident happened about 25 miles north of New York City. (Christopher Sadowski)
Brian Bond and Lindsey Stewart (FACEBOOK)
Rescue workers on a boat search the Hudson River south of the Tappan Zee Bridge for two people who are believed to have fallen into the water during a boat crash in Piermont, N.Y. (AP)
The powerboat ‘Stingray’ with six people on board struck a barge in the Hudson River just south of the Tappan Zee Bridge last night. (Theodore Parisienne)
Carol Stewart-Kosick, mother of missing bride-to-be Lindsey Stewart, hugs a family friend. (Theodore Parisienne)
The man at the helm in the deadly Hudson River boat crash that killed a bride-to-be and a best man was allegedly drinking, police said.
Jojo K. John, 35, of Nyack, was arraigned in his hospital bed today on three counts of vehicular manslaughter as authorities ended the day’s search for the body of best man Mark Lennon.
The body of a woman believed to be Lindsey Stewart, 30, was found this afternoon near the scene of the horrific crash, which flung Stewart, her fiance Brian Bond, 35, Lennon and three others into the murky river underneath the Tappan Zee Bridge.
The future groom made it to shore but suffered a fractured eye socket. Two other men, besides John and Bond, were also hospitalized.
The joyous group left Piermont, about 25 miles north of New York City in Rockland County, late Friday and headed across the river to Tarrytown.
At about 10:30 p.m., the 21-foot roofless Stingray smashed into a construction barge underneath the bridge.
Only two people aboard were wearing life jackets, authorities said.
“We’re just praying for a miracle — Lindsey was getting married two weeks from today,” her heartbroken mom, Carol Stewart-Kosick, said between sobs.
“It can’t end like this,” she told WABC-TV.
Bond is at Westchester Medical Center awaiting surgery, family members said. The others are being treated for head trauma.
Stewart’s stepfather, Walter Kosick, said the couple had been friends since childhood and planned to marry on Aug. 10.
“Lindsey did all the planning herself for the wedding. She’s a real smart lady. They’ve known each other since [they were ] 10-years-old — they use to go to church together,” he said.
“They fell in love three and a half years ago — they were planning a future together,” he said.
He said he had no idea what they were doing on the boat, who was operating the craft, and if the people on board were wearing life jackets.
“We’re praying,” he said.
Stewart-Kosick brought white flowers to the scene of the crash this morning.