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Operator of larger boat claims sun glare obstructed his view, police say
Two people from Mastic jumped into Moriches Inlet Monday just before their 16-foot boat was struck a 34-foot boat operated by a Center Moriches man who said he didn’t see the smaller vessel due to sun glare, Suffolk police said.
The boaters in the smaller vessel were rescued by Suffolk County Marine Bureau officers and transported by ambulance to Peconic Bay Medical Center in Riverhead for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.
Police said Marine Bureau officers John Falcone and George Schmidt were aboard Marine Mike when they heard a U.S. Coast Guard call about a boat in unknown distress near their location. They responded to Moriches Inlet in Moriches at approximately 7:15 p.m. and found Ted Felice, 59, and his passenger, Joan Grauer, 55, both of Mastic, in the water after they jumped from their 16-foot center console HSX boat just before it was struck by a 34-foot Cabo boat.
The operator of the Cabo, Michael Flynn, 52, of Center Moriches, told officers he did not see the smaller boat due to sun glare, police said. Flynn and his three passengers were not injured.
Both boats were towed to shore.
