Man Who Fell Overboard Near Annapolis Still Missing
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (WJZ) —Authorities are still searching for a former politician who went missing after falling overboard in Annapolis on New Year's Eve. The accident caps off a deadly year on Maryland's waterways.
Rick Ritter has more on the search that has now been suspended.
After days of searching, police still haven't located 48-year-old Stephen Reynolds-- the latest victim in yet another boating accident.
"This has been a particularly bad year on the waters in Maryland," said Lt. Ken Ziegler, Maryland Natural Resources Police.
Emergency calls obtained by WJZ came in just hours before the new year, calling for a slew of rescue teams.
Officials say Reynolds, a former candidate for county commissioner in Carroll County, and a female companion were out on his sailboat when he fell overboard in the lethal, 50 degree water and never resurfaced.
"Once you go overboard and your body temperature drops, you start to become hypothermic," said Sgt. Junior Johnson, Maryland Natural Resources Police.
The tragedy is all too familiar on Maryland waterways. In 2015, the state saw more boating fatalities than its had in the past 20 years.
There were 12 boating fatalities in 2014, compared to 21 in 2015.
Among the dead — 63-year-old Ronald Gressin, who fell overboard, two women who were killed in a late night accident near the Key Bridge, and perhaps the most heart-wrenching, seven-year-old Julianne Rosella, who was struck by a speeding boat during a racing accident.
Officials say out of the 21 people who died this year, a staggering 19 were not wearing life jackets.
The number of fatalities could have been even higher — two fishermen were caught in bad weather a few days ago. Their boat began sinking in the Potomac, but rescue crews were able to save them.
Officials believe the increase in fatalities and accidents on the water last year was mainly because there were more people out boating thanks to lower gas prices and better weather.
DNR police handed out more than 517 tickets to boaters who either weren't wearing life jackets or didn't have enough for all the people on board. That number of tickets was significantly higher than last year's.