Clayton man sentenced to probation for drunken boating accident that injured 5

June 27--WATERTOWN -- A Clayton man was sentenced Friday in Jefferson County Court to five years' probation for causing serious injuries to three people while operating a boat while intoxicated.

Peter R. LaGrow, 66, of 419 James St., was also fined $500 and had his boating privileges suspended for a year after pleading guilty April 24 to second-degree vehicular assault and operating a vessel under the influence of alcohol. He entered his pleas using an Alford plea, meaning he did not admit to the underlying facts in the case, but was pleading guilty to avoid the possibility of a harsher sentence if convicted of the crimes at trial.

Mr. LaGrow was operating a 23-foot boat on the St. Lawrence River off Clayton about 12:45 a.m. on Aug. 21, 2011, when the boat struck a shoal near the Eagle Wing group of shoals and small islands. According to an indictment handed up in October, Mr. LaGrow was operating the boat with a blood alcohol content of 0.11 percent, above the state's minimum legal level of 0.08 percent considered proof of intoxication.

In all, five passengers, as well as Mr. LaGrow, were injured in the collision, including three passengers who were seriously injured. According to the indictment, Mr. LaGrow's daughter, Wendy Kolceski, Syracuse, and Victoria Falcone, Fayetteville, suffered broken necks. Ms. Kolceski also suffered multiple fractures in her face, lost teeth and had cuts to her mouth and lip, while Ms. Falcone additionally suffered a cut to her kidney and other injuries. A third passenger, Amy E. Donnelly, Syracuse, suffered a cut to her liver, as well as bruises on her head and body. Mr. LaGrow reportedly suffered neck and internal injuries, while two other passengers suffered minor injuries.

Mr. LaGrow also ordered Friday to pay $7,079 in restitution to Ms. Falcone for medical expenses not covered by her insurance carrier. He apologized for the incident to Judge Kim H. Martusewicz.

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