A prosecutor says the man accused of drunkenly crashing a powerboat into a barge on the Hudson River, killing a bride-to-be and her fiance's best man, told rescuers he'd been "drinking all day."
Rockland County Assistant District Attorney Stephen Moore made the disclosure Wednesday at the arraignment for Jojo John.
"Apparently in response to first responders arriving there, he indicated that it was 'My fault, I've been drinking all day, or I've been drinking,' words to that effect," the prosecutor said.
Defense attorney David Narain said outside court that "This is the first time we're hearing those statements," and would not answer further questions about them.
The judge set bail at $50,000 bond or $25,000 cash.
The victims, Lindsey Stewart and Mark Lennon, were thrown from the boat on July 26 after the boat hit a stationary barge involved in the construction of the new Tappan Zee Bridge. Stewart, 30, was set to be married Aug. 10 to Brian Bond, who was also injured in the crash.
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Prosecutors say the 35-year-old John had nearly twice the legal level of alcohol in his system. His lawyer disputes the test result and says poor lighting on the barge caused the crash.
