2 Years in County Jail for JoJo John in Boat Crash that Killed Bride, Best Man

Written by Lanning Taliaferro

Jojo K. John was sentenced today to two years in the Rockland County jail on his guilty plea to two counts of Vehicular Manslaughter in the Second Degree, class “D” Felonies, in the deaths of a bride-to-be and her fiancé’s best man.

“The defendant’s reckless decision to drive a speedboat while under the influence of alcohol and drugs tragically caused the untimely deaths of two innocent people,” said Rockland County District Attorney Thomas P. Zugibe. “The sentence imposed today is more than justified. He has now been held accountable for his crimes and will serve two years in jail, giving him time to reflect on his thoughtless actions.”

John, a Nyack resident, crashed a 19-foot Stingray into a construction barge near the Tappan Zee bridge at 10:40 p.m. July 26, 2013. He was traveling at a high rate of speed in near-zero visibility, prosecutors said.

Lindsey Stewart of Piermont and Mark Lennon of Pearl River were killed and the other four people in the boat, including John, were injured.

The investigation also established that John was aware of the location of the barge having maneuvered his vessel past the same barge earlier in the day and discussed its location with his passenger, said Zugibe.

He was found to have a blood alcohol level in excess of .15 at the time of the incident. Additionally, cocaine metabolites were found in his system. He was arrested while recovering at Nyack Hospital.

Executive Assistant District Attorney Stephen Moore prosecuted the case.

Related articles:

• An 18-count indictment was handed up Nov. 8, 2013.
• John pleaded not guilty to those charges Nov. 20, 2013.
• John pleaded guilty to manslaughter charges June 9, 2014.