Intoxicated Boater in Fatal Accident Gets 10-Year Sentence

The intoxicated driver who hit and killed a 10-year-old boy last year while driving a boat received a 10-year prison sentence this week.

David Hatyina pleaded guilty to aggravated driving under the combined influence of cocaine and alcohol causing death, according to a press release from the Lake County State's Attorney's Office. He ran into 10-year-old Tony Borcia of Libertyville while the boy was tubing on Petite Lake. 

"The Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office hopes that this sentence reminds people of the high costs and consequences of boating or driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs," the release from the State's Attorney's Office read.

Tony's aunt is State Sen. Julie Morrison (D-Deerfield) who helped pass a new drunken boating law that attaches penalties for operating a motorized boat to a person’s driver’s license. “Your driver’s license can be suspended if you operate a motorized boat drunk,” Morrison previously told Patch. “If you refuse (tests for intoxication) your license will be suspended.”