Crime & Safety
NJ Grandpa Rejects Plea Deal In Drunken Boat Crash That Killed Grandchildren, Report Says
Stephen Schneider, accused of being drunk in the boat crash that killed his two young grandchildren, was reportedly offered a plea deal.
BERKELEY, NJ — The grandfather accused of being drunk during a fatal Barnegat Bay boat crash that killed two of his grandchildren has rejected a plea deal offered to him, according to a report.
Stephen Schneider, 64, turned down the offer that would have given him a 10-year prison sentence, according to NJ.com.
Without the plea deal, Schneider faces a possible 20 years in prison for the two counts of reckless vessel homicide connected to the deaths of 9-year-old Mya Golabek and 7-year-old Sigmund Golabek.
Find out what's happening in Berkeleyfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Schneider's blood alcohol content was twice the legal limit when his boat crashed into an Intracoastal Waterway Channel marker, throwing his two grandchildren overboard, Patch previously reported.
READ MORE: Grandfather's Blood Alcohol Was Double Limit In Fatal Crash, Affidavit Says
Find out what's happening in Berkeleyfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
He and his wife pulled the children from the water.
The siblings lived in Lacey.
"Mya and Siggy were not only brother and sister, but best friends who shared laughter, adventures, and countless memories," their obituaries read. "Now they continue their journey together, hand in hand, carrying their love beyond this world and leaving behind a beautiful reminder of the unbreakable bond they shared."
Schneider will return to court on Nov. 16, according to court records.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
