A Levittown man operating his boat without navigational lighting unopened safety equipment and operating a watercraft under the influence on the Delaware River was taken in to custody by officers from the PA Fish and Boat Commission late last month.
On routine patrol, officials observed a passenger boat on Poquessing Creek in Bensalem Township traveling without the required navigational lights 21 minutes after sundown court documents say. Waterway officials approached the boat than subsequently asked permission to board court records say.
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Upon boarding authorities asked the boat operator, Sean Downing, 44, for his identification. Downing told waterway authorities “I don’t have anything on me,” which led officials to observe slurred speech by the Levittown man, court records say.
Meanwhile investigators asked Downing to see safety flotation devices (SFD’s) for everyone (4 people including the defendant) on the boat, authorities say. After locating the SFD’s, which officials noted were in their original packaging still, waterway officials asked Downing to take the flotation device out of its package and demonstrate how it should be worn, court documents say.
According to authorities, the type two SFD’, a horse collar version, needed to be expanded when being placed over the head, which Downing struggled with because he didn’t expand the device so it could fit. Downing was then asked by officials to secure the SFD properly which proved to be challenge requiring the assistance of waterway law enforcement officers, court documents say.
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Patrol officials suspected Downing to be under the influence of alcohol and asked him to board the patrol boat. The patrol officer additionally smelled alcohol and asked Downing if he had anything to drink that day Downing told the officer he had “…five or six beers,” court documents say.
Asked to participate in a field sobriety test, Downing agreed, and was unable to pass or complete any one of the three-part test, court records say. The suspect was then asked to take a breathalyzer test and blew a .23 at which time patrol officials deemed him unable to operate a watercraft boat safely and placed him under arrest, court records say.
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Downing was taken to Aria Health Falls Campus for additional chemical testing where it was found his blood alcohol content was .228 court records say.
According to online court records Downing was charged with operating a watercraft while under the influence, incapable of safe operating of a watercraft while under the influence and related offenses. The defendant is scheduled for a preliminary hearing in front of District Court Judge Robert L Wagner Jr. on July 23.
