WEST MILFORD, Passaic County (WABC) --
New Jersey State Police on Thursday arrested 44-year-old Shawn Kelly, of Paramus, as a result of a 23-month-long cooperative investigation with the Passaic County Prosecutor's Office.
The boat crash happened on Greenwood Lake in West Milford Township on September 5, 2016, when authorities say an 18-foot Bayliner boat owned by Edwin Lane, of West Milford, was struck by another boat that fled the scene after the crash.
There were four occupants on the boat, all of whom sustained injuries as a result of the collision. Lane and 78-year-old Robert Roon, of Newfoundland, suffered serious injuries and were airlifted to St. Joseph's Hospital in Paterson. Their wives, 76-year-old Mary Lane and 72-year-old Eileen Roon were transported by ambulance to St. Joseph's Hospital.
Edwin Lane later died as a result of injuries on October 8, 2016.
During the course of the investigation, it was determined that Kelly was alone on his boat, a 20-foot Wellcraft, traveling along the same path and direction as the victim's boat on the evening of the crash. Kelly allegedly struck the victim's boat before immediately leaving the scene.
A subsequent accident reconstruction analyzing the damage to both vessels confirmed that Kelly's boat was the hit-and-run vessel. Additionally, damage to Kelly's boat was consistent with the corresponding damage sustained by Lane's vessel.
Kelly was charged with death by vessel, leaving the scene of a boating accident resulting in death, assault by vessel and leaving the scene of an accident causing serious bodily injury.