An Ocean County man charged in a boating crash that killed his two young grandchildren on Barnegat Bay has been released from jail pending trial. Stephen Schneider, 64, is charged with reckless vessel homicide in connection with the July 19 crash off Berkeley Township. Prosecutors say his blood a lcohol content that night was approximately 0.16, twice the legal limit. “The defendant consumed enough alcohol to reach a BAC of approximately 0.16, and then operated a vessel,” Assistant Prosecutor Kate Burke said. “And the result was catastrophic.” Authorities say Schneider was operating the boat when it struck a lit channel marker. His 9-year-old granddaughter and 7-year-old grandson, who were both wearing life jackets, were thrown from the boat and killed. According to court documents, Schneider told New Jersey State Police that he drank two Guinnesses and a Miller Lite over the course of two hours at a restaurant before the crash. Schneider’s attorney, William Cunningham, said the children’s parents wrote letters asking for their grandfather to be released from jail while he awaits trial. A judge granted his release. “There’s one thing, two things, I can guarantee you, if you release him, he will probably never be on a boat again,” Cunningham said. “And he will never be ingesting alcohol again.” As a condition of his release, the judge ordered Schneider not to operate a boat or car until he undergoes a substance abuse evaluation. He is due back in court next month. The case comes amid what police describe as a devastating summer on New Jersey waterways. Six people have died in boating accidents on New Jersey waterways so far this year, one more than at the same point last summer. State police also say there has been a 57% increase in the number of people charged with boating under the influence. Authorities say drinking and complacency are contributing factors in many boating accidents. “Life-changing consequences,” New Jersey State Police Sgt. Bryan Davern said. “All it takes is one split second and one bad decision.” Davern said alcohol can impair a boater’s ability to react. “Alcohol will decrease your response time and you know, boating has a number of different factors involved where it doesn’t apply to the road,” Davern said. This story was originally reported for broadcast by NBC Philadelphia. AI tools helped convert the story to a digital article, and an NBC Philadelphia journalist edited the article for publication. ...read more read less