Richard Cruz, a 33-year-old man from Elizabeth, New Jersey, has been sentenced to 18 months in prison for his role in a tragic Hudson River boat capsizing that claimed the lives of two people, including a seven-year-old boy. The sentence was delivered after Cruz pled guilty in October 2024 to charges of misconduct and neglect by a ship officer resulting in death. U.S. Attorney Danielle R. Sassoon from the Southern District of New York expressed in a statement released by the Department of Justice, "Today, Richard Cruz has been held accountable for his misconduct and negligent actions that caused the tragic deaths of a young boy and a woman when Cruz’s vessel capsized in the Hudson River."
The vessel in question, Stimulus Money, was operated by Cruz without the required credentials and certifications needed for carrying paying customers. On July 12, 2022, amid hazardous conditions that included high winds and heavy seas, Cruz chose to quickly operate the boat with 13 people on board, surpassing the vessel's maximum capacity. These actions not only defied federal regulations but directly led to the vessel's capsizing and the subsequent deaths of the young boy and a 48-year-old woman, as reported by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Following the capsize, first responders from the NYPD's Harbor Unit, the FDNY's Dive Rescue Team, and nearby ferries rushed to the scene to provide emergency assistance. Eleven survivors were pulled from the waters and taken to hospitals with varying conditions. The two victims, however, were discovered beneath the capsized boat by FDNY divers roughly 25 minutes after the incident; they were pronounced dead from drowning at the scene.
In addition to his prison term, Cruz has been mandated to pay $50,000 for the victims' funeral expenses. The investigative efforts of the USCG Investigative Service and the Special Agents and NYPD Detectives assigned to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York were acknowledged for their outstanding work. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey W. Coyle was noted to have been in charge of the prosecution. For those aware of any illegal passenger charters, a report can be made to the USCG at their website, emphasizing the continued effort to strictly enforce maritime safety regulations.
