New lawsuits filed against town, local marina following 2019 fatal boat crash
Police on scene of the fatal boat crash in November 2019. (Credit: Joe Werkmeister/file)
In a pair of new lawsuits filed in the wake of a 2019 boating accident that killed one person in Mattituck, the two men who were aboard the vessel are suing Southold Town and a local marina, arguing in a legal filing that their negligence contributed to the crash.
The $30 million notice of claim filed Feb. 8 by Frank Distefano, the East Northport man who was operating the powerboat that ran aground and struck a bulkhead near the entrance to James Creek, alleges that Strong’s Marine “negligently entrusted” the 39-foot Cobalt to Mr. Distefano “without adequate training, guidance, support” related to piloting the boat.