Bayville man accused of crashing boat, killing both grandchildren released from jail pending trial
Steven Schneider was released from the Ocean County Jail pending his trial.
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Stephen Schneider, of Bayville, was allowed to walk out of the Ocean County Jail Wednesday and await his trial from home. He's facing criminal charges that include, operating a vessel under the influence and reckless operation of a vessel plus a charge of reckless vessel homicide.
He’s charged in relation to the death of his own grandchildren after the prosecutor says he crashed his boat on Barnegat Bay in July while intoxicated. Nine-year-old Mya Golabek and her 7year-old brother Sigmund Golabek lost their lives after the boat hit a channel marker in the bay.
The prosecution revealed that Schneider had a blood alcohol level of 0.16%, twice the legal limit. However, Superior Court Judge Wendel Daniels granted release based on a lack of any criminal history and the fact that the parents of the children requested Schneider be freed from custody.
READ MORE: Police: Bayville man was intoxicated in fatal boating incident
READ MORE: Two children killed after boat strikes channel marker in Barnegat Bay
His defense attorney spoke out in favor of release during a virtual hearing.
“Two things I can guarantee if you release him. He will probably never be on a boat again. And he will never be ingesting alcohol again. This has cut to the root of his family," said defense attorney William Cunningham.
He offered a letter to the court from the victim's father, Sigmund Golabek which said in part:
“He’s a wonderful father in law, loving grandfather and a man with a generous heart. I’m grateful for the way he loved my children the role he played in their lives and for the example he set for them.”
The Ocean County prosecutor wanted him held in jail until trial calling his actions catastrophic.
The BAC of 0.16% is twice the legal limit. More importantly for purposes of this hearing it demonstrates the degree of impairment the defendant chose to operate a vessel with," said assistant prosecutor Kate Burke.
Schneider is not allowed to drive a boat or a car until further evaluation by the courts.
There have been four deaths on Barnegat Bay this summer. In each case, boats crashed into channel markers.
