The investigation into the fatal Barnegat Bay boat crash has taken a major turn after prosecutors revealed additional details about the evidence against Stephen Schneider. Schneider, 64, was charged with two counts of reckless vessel homicide, operating a vessel under the influence and reckless operation after his boat struck an Intracoastal Waterway channel marker on July 19. His grandchildren, Mya Golabek, 9, and Sigmund “Siggy” Golabek, 7, were thrown into the water and later died at a hospital.

One of the most significant developments came from toxicology evidence. Prosecutors said Schneider’s blood-alcohol concentration was approximately 0.16% — twice New Jersey’s legal limit for operating a vessel. Investigators also concluded that alcohol had markedly impaired his alertness, judgment, perception, reaction time and coordination.

The crash itself happened during a nighttime trip across Barnegat Bay. Authorities say Schneider was operating a roughly 30-foot Tidewater vessel when it struck a wooden channel marker. The impact sent both children into the water, despite the siblings reportedly wearing life jackets. Schneider and his wife pulled the children from the water and CPR was attempted before they were transported to the hospital.

Investigators have been working to reconstruct exactly what happened in the seconds before impact, including the vessel’s movement, the channel marker and the conditions surrounding the collision. The images circulating online should not, by themselves, be treated as proof of a specific action or moment unless authorities confirm what they show.

There was another major development in court this week. Schneider was released from Ocean County Jail on August 19 while awaiting trial. The judge imposed conditions that include prohibiting him from operating a boat or motor vehicle pending further evaluation. The victims’ father also submitted a letter supporting Schneider’s release, describing him as a loving grandfather.