Law targets underage drinking and boating

NEWPORT, R.I.—The death of a Barrington teenager in a 2007 boating accident has resulted in a new law that cracks down on underage drinking while operating a boat.

Under the new law, a teen caught operating watercraft of any type while under the influence of alcohol would lose their boating license and driver’s license for up to a year.

“People, especially people under the age of 21 that are procuring alcohol and using alcohol while driving a watercraft, understand that there will be penalties if they get caught doing this,“ said state Rep. Raymond Gallison.

Patrick Murphy was killed in July 2007 when his friend, Ryan Greenberg, crashed into him with a motorboat.  Greenberg was sentenced earlier this year to two and a half years at the state prison.

It was never proven that Greenberg, who was a teenager at the time of the accident, was drunk but police found beer cans on the boat.

Gallison, D-Bristol, introduced the bill before the accident, but said it was the accident that helped get the bill passed.

“When people saw and read the stories and listened to the stories about how alcohol was on that boat and beer cans, then it gave everyone a better awareness of the fact that kids were using alcohol under the age of 21 while operating watercraft, and they shouldn’t be,“ he said.

The new law is currently in effect.