Crime & Safety

Powerboat Driver Who Crashed Into Gazebo Charged With DWI

State police continuing their investigation, boat to be removed tomorrow

New Jersey State Police have charged the man who drove his 40-foot Formula powerboat into a Cove Road West resident's gazebo with driving while under the influence.

David M. McDermott, no age or address available tonight, was charged in connection with the accident that left his high-performance boat beached on the sand on local Realtor Ann M. Schuld's property, Sgt. Julian Castellanos said late this afternoon.

No further details on how McDermott's boat left the Toms River and careened into the gazebo were available late today.

Find out what's happening in Berkeleywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

New Jersey State Police are conducting an investigation into the accident, which happened around 10:30 p.m. Saturday night. No one was injured in the crash, Berkeley Township Patrolman John Fosbre said Saturday night.

 McDermott was apparently on the boat with his wife when the accident occurred. The boat was heading east on the Toms River, towards Barnegat Bay when it veered to the right and went  up on the sand. The boat is about 40 from the Schuld home and roughly 15 feet from the roadway in the Toms River Shores section of Bayville.

Find out what's happening in Berkeleywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

 Schuld and her husband were not home at the time of the accident.

She said today a boat towing company will be back on the scene tomorrow morning to dislodge the boat and ease it back into the river.

Berkeley Patch will continue to follow this developing story.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to arrestreports@patch.com.