A North Haven man was involved in an unusual boating incident in Vermont that has left a Massachusetts man critically injured, according to Vermont state police.
Alphonse Gambardella, 39, of North Haven, was sailing on Wednesday morning when his boat motor came loose and struck a Chicopee, Massachusetts man in the head, according to Vermont state police.
Gambardella’s boat was idling and he accelerated to avoid a collision as a boat driven by James Collins III, 44, of Ludlow, Massachusetts, was sailing north in the channel between North Hero and Alburg, Vermont and Gambardella, according to Vermont State police.
When Gambardella accelerated, the bow of his boat came out of the water, the boats collided and his
trolling motor became detached, police said.
The motor flew into the passenger side windshield of Collins’ boat and struck his passenger, James Collins Jr., 64, of Chicopee, and John Collins, 42, also of Chicopee.
James Collins Jr. suffered a head injury and was taken to Fletcher Allen Medical Center by Grand Isle Rescue. He remains in critical condition, hospital officials said on Thursday afternoon.
This boating accident is still under investigation.
