Boat operator charged in death of friend who went overboard

A man who was allegedly was operating a boat while under the influence of alcohol or drugs has been charged in the death of his friend who went overboard and drowned in northern New Jersey earlier this month.

Morris County prosecutors say 24-year-old Nicholas Zarantonello, of Lake Hopatcong, is charged with death by vessel.

Zarantonello was operating a pontoon boat on Lake Hopatcong on Aug. 3 with two passengers on board.

One of them, 24-year-old Jason Gil of Mount Arlington, somehow went overboard and disappeared. His body was found two days later.

Authorities say Zarantonello was operating the vessel recklessly. He turned himself in on Tuesday and made his first court appearance later that day.

It wasn’t known Thursday if Zarantonello has retained an attorney.

— The Associated Press

Jurors on Wednesday ruled against the family of 21-year-old Derek DeGroat in their $18.7 million civil suit. The family filed suit after three state troopers were dispatched to DeGroat’s Wayne County home for a report that he was armed and suicidal.

Plaintiffs’ attorney Steven Raiser told jurors that police shot DeGroat while his hands were by his side. But Senior Deputy Attorney General Jessica Davis said DeGroat pointed a gun in the troopers’ direction and ignored their commands to drop it.

She said, “It’s easy to Monday morning quarterback in that situation. This happened instantaneously.”

A prosecutor previously determined the troopers did nothing wrong.

— The Associated Press