GILFORD, N.H. (AP) – Investigators say in court papers that they are looking at whether alcohol contributed to a nighttime boat crash that killed a passenger and critically injured the driver, a prominent foe of speed limits on New Hampshire’s largest lake.

The 37-foot boat was going fast enough to plane, or skim on the water, when it slammed into a wall of rocks on Lake Winnipesaukee’s Diamond Island early on June 15, the state Marine Patrol said in an affidavit cited Tuesday by The Citizen of Laconia.

One passenger on the boat died, and the other passenger told the state Marine Patrol the three friends aboard had been drinking at a restaurant before the crash, Lt. Tim Dunleavy said in the affidavit. Laconia District Court said the papers were released prematurely, before there was an official response, which was expected Monday.

The Marine Patrol said it was investigating whether the death of 36-year-old Stephanie Beaudoin of Meredith was negligent homicide, a felony punishable by up to seven years in prison and up to 15 years if the person committing it was under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Dunleavy said several empty beer cans were seen at the accident scene.

The boat’s driver, 34-year-old Erica Blizzard of Laconia, has been upgraded from critical to stable condition at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon. Blizzard, president of the New Hampshire Recreational Boaters Association, testified against a bill to impose boating speed limits on the lake.

Calls to Blizzard’s family and business were not returned Tuesday.

Nicole Shinopulos, 34, of Burlington, Mass., was injured in the crash. She told investigators the three had been drinking at the Wolfetrap Grill in Wolfeboro beforehand.

The affidavit said the Formula boat was planing across the lake, which means it was going fast enough to skim on top of the water rather than plow through it.

Copy the Story Link