Man Sentenced In Connection With Double-Fatal Boat Crash

A New Bedford man was sentenced today in the May 2010 boating crash near Prudence Island, which resulted in the death of two 23-year-old women. 

Matthew Fortin, 28, with a last known address of 105 Collette St., New Bedford, MA, pleaded no contest today before Superior Court Justice Melanie Thunburg. 

Fortin was charged in connection with the May 16, 2010, boating accident that killed Alesia Desa of Dighton, MA, and Kaylee Therrien of Assonet, MA.

For all counts, Fortin was sentenced to 15 years, with six to serve (three at the Adult Correctional Institutions, three on home confinement) with the remainder suspended with probation.

Fortin pleaded nolo to boating while intoxicated (BWI), death resulting for which he was sentenced to five years, three to serve with the remainder suspended with probation. 

He pleaded nolo to reckless boating, death resulting, for which he received 10 years, three to serve in home confinement with the remainder suspended with probation, to run consecutive.  

On the charges of BWI serious bodily injury and reckless boating serious bodily injury, Fortin was sentenced to five years suspended, five years probation for each, to run concurrent.

“The mixture of boating under the influence and unfamiliarity of the bay were a deadly combination,” said Attorney General Peter Kilmartin. “What started as a joy ride with friends on Narragansett Bay, quickly turned into a nightmare and tragedy. With the summer boating season in full swing, and the tens of thousands of people recreating on our waterways, people should remember this case and the terrible loss of life that is caused by drinking and boating.” 

On May 15, 2010, Joel Mayer, then 25, and Fortin, mechanics for a company that leased boats, made plans to take out one of the boats out for a ride. 

Around 10 p.m. that evening, Mayer, Fortin, then 24-year-old Janet Bernardo, Desa and Therrien met at in Portsmouth and decided to take a boat ride to Brewer’s Marina in Greenwich Cove, East Greenwich. The boat was a 22-foot Sea Ray named Miss Jess.

Returning to Portsmouth around 1 a.m., with Fortin driving, the boat crashed into Despair Island, located on the tip of Hope Island in Narragansett Bay near Prudence Island. 

Desa and Therrien were ejected from the boat onto the rocks and killed. 

Mayer suffered serious injuries in the crash. Fortin and Bernardo were also injured.

A distress call was received by the Coast Guard at approximately 1:42 a.m. As they were not familiar with the bay, neither Fortin nor Bernardo were unable to give an exact location of the crash. 

At 2:43 a.m., the Warwick Fire rescue boat located the wreckage on Despair Island.