No sympathy from me
NY Ferry Crash Pilot Pleads Guilty to Manslaughter
Wed Aug 4, 2004 04:18 PM ET
NEW YORK (Reuters) - The man at the helm in the worst disaster in the history of New York's Staten Island ferry pleaded guilty to manslaughter on Wednesday in the deaths of 11 people last year when he fell asleep and the boat hit a concrete pier.
Assistant Capt. Richard Smith pleaded guilty to 11 counts of manslaughter in addition to lying about his medical condition and taking prescription drugs when he applied to the U.S. Coast Guard for renewal of his ferry pilot's license in Aug. 2000.
Prosecutors also announced grand jury indictments of several other people found responsible for the Oct. 15, 2003 crash that killed 11 passengers and injured dozens of others.
At a hearing on Wednesday, Smith admitted to U.S. District Court Judge Edward Korman that medication he took for back pain on the day of the crash made him drowsy and that he acted recklessly by piloting the boat, named the Andrew J. Barberi.
"While operating the Barberi as it was headed toward Staten Island, I lost consciousness and was not in control of the ferry when it crashed into the dock at St George terminal," Smith said in court.
Smith was so distraught after the accident he fled the scene and tried to commit suicide, police said.
His plea agreement was expected to draw him a more lenient sentence than the recommended 10 years in prison for each manslaughter count. A sentencing date was not scheduled.
