Man sentenced to 18 months in prison in deadly 2022 Hudson River boat accident
NEW YORK — The owner of a boat that capsized in the Hudson River in 2022, killing two people, was sentenced to 18 months in prison Wednesday.
Richard Cruz, 33, pled guilty to misconduct and neglect of a ship officer resulting in death back in October. The New Jersey man was also ordered to pay $50,000 in restitution for the victims' funeral expenses.
A second suspect, Jaime Pinilla Gomez, was also charged in connection to the incident.
7-year-old Julián Vasquez, 48-year-old Lindelia Vasquez killed in deadly boat accident
Cruz purchased his boat, called "Stimulus Money," sometime around April 2022, according to the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York.
Authorities say over the course of about three months, Cruz used the boat to take people on paid tours, even though he did not have the proper credentials or certifications to do so.
According to authorities, on July 12, 2022, Cruz took 13 people out on a tour, which exceeded the boat's maximum capacity, and was operating the boat at a high rate of speed despite advisories about hazardous conditions. The boat capsized in the Hudson River, throwing all 13 customers overboard, authorities say.
Eleven of the passengers were pulled from the water by first responders and taken to local hospitals.
Two passengers, 7-year-old Julián Vasquez and 48-year-old Lindelia Vasquez, were trapped under the boat and were found by a dive team about 25 minutes after the boat capsized, authorities said. Both were pronounced dead at the scene.