Drunk NJ Woman Killed Son In Boat Crash, Authorities Say

BARNEGAT, NJ — A Barnegat woman who authorities say was intoxicated in a Memorial Day boat crash that killed her son has been released to await trial.

Jennifer L. Pearson, 59, has been charged with death by vessel, a second-degree charge, operating a vessel under the influence, reckless operation of a vessel, operating a vessel without a Boating Safety Certificate, and failure to have proper lookout in the May 25 crash, New Jersey State Trooper Christopher Postorino said Friday.

She was at the helm of a Trophy 2203CC center console when she hit a day marker in Barnegat Bay about 5:45 p.m. on May 25, NJ 101.5 reported.

The crash threw her son Gunnar and a second person — identified by NJ 101.5 as Gunnar's girlfriend — overboard, critically injuring both and injuring four others onboard. Gunnar Pearson died later that day, state police said.

Ocean County Assistant Prosecutor Kate Burke argued for Pearson to be detained until trial, but Pearson's attorney, William Cunningham, said she had extensive support from family, friends and co-workers urging that she be released to allow the family to grieve Gunnar's death.

Her husband and surviving son wrote letters in support of her pretrial release, as did more than 40 other people, Cunningham said.

"This is a heartbreaking situation," Cunningham said. "She is the defendant and a victim. She lost her son."

"The dad and living son need her," he said. "This is important for them, to continu to grieve with their mother."

Cunningham said Pearson was driving the boat because her husband, both of their sons and the others on board had been drinking. He said she told state police she'd had two drinks, and cited evidence that state police had reviewed surveillance video and confirmed the same thing.

Pearson had a blood alcohol concentration of between 0.09 percent and 0.12 percent, NJ 101.5 reported.

He also said her vision of the day marker was obscured because there were people in front of her blocking her view of the bow of the boat.

"Probably as long as my client is alive she will never get on a boat again," Cunningham said.

Pearson, who is a substitute teacher and has worked as a paralegal, sat through most of the detention hearing with her head in her hands and appeared to be crying as Cunningham spoke.

Rahill released her on level 1 monitoring, barring her from operating a vessel and barring her from consuming alcohol and driving a motor vehicle.

She did not bar Pearson from driving because Pearson works and because she had no driving while impaired charges in her past or any other criminal history that would preclude her from release, Rahill said.

Pearson surrendered to state police at the Troop C Tuckerton Station on Wednesday, state police said.

Gunnar H. Pearson, 28, had just finished renovating his first home in Forked River and had started a new job with an elevator company, according to his obituary on the Barnegat Funeral Home website.

The crash was the first of three in Barnegat Bay this summer that have been fatal.

On July 19, Mya and Sigmund Golabek were killed when they were thrown from a boat driven by their grandfather, Stephen C. Schneider, of Bayville. Schneider, 64, has been charged in their deaths and authorities say he was intoxicated at the time of the crash.

On July 25, a Green Brook man was killed when the boat he was a passenger on slammed into a marker in Barnegat Bay in Toms River. No charges have been filed in that crash.