What started as a nighttime cruise through Sag Harbor Bay ended at a stone jetty and in handcuffs, after police say a Southampton man crashed a 35-foot boat on July 5, seriously injuring two passengers and triggering a criminal investigation.
At approximately 10:07 p.m. on July 5, the operator, identified by police as 57-year-old Peter Mangiameli of Southampton, was steering a 2023, 35-foot cruise boat from Sag Harbor Bay into the harbor when the vessel struck a stone jetty, according to a press release from the New York State Police. Eight people were on board, and two sustained what police describe as serious physical injuries.
After the impact, Mangiameli docked the damaged vessel at a nearby dock, where Sag Harbor Village Police officers began treating the injured. Authorities say he then left the scene while those passengers were still receiving medical aid, as reported by Newport Dispatch. The two victims were transported to a local hospital with injuries that included a broken rib, a fractured leg, and a vertebrae fracture.
Charges and legal status
Mangiameli was later arrested and is facing a raft of charges that state police list as including reckless operation of a vessel, unreasonable speed, vessel operator fails to report an accident involving personal injury (an E felony), failure to provide identification in a personal injury accident, assault in the third degree, assault in the second degree (a D felony), reckless endangerment, and multiple violations of the New York State Navigation Law, according to the New York State Police.
The investigation remains open, and authorities say anyone who witnessed the collision or has additional information should contact investigators at (631) 756-3300.
Why it matters
Collisions with fixed objects such as jetties are a known source of serious injuries in New York recreational boating incidents, and speed and operator error are frequently cited contributing factors. The New York State Parks 2025 recreational boating report notes that crashes with fixed objects accounted for a significant share of nonfatal incidents in recent statewide summaries, according to New York State Parks.
The Sag Harbor Village Police Department requested assistance from the New York State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation on July 6, and troopers have since adopted the case as they continue interviews and evidence gathering. Authorities say they will release updates as the inquiry develops, and again urge anyone with video or eyewitness information to contact investigators at the number listed above.
