Barnegat Bay Boat Accident: Stephen Schneider, 64, Charged in Fatal Crash That Killed Grandchildren Mya and Sigmund Golabek, 9 and 7
Stephen Schneider, 64, is facing criminal charges after prosecutors alleged that he was impaired by alcohol when the boat he was operating struck a channel marker in Barnegat Bay, New Jersey, last month, killing his two young grandchildren.
The deadly crash happened on the night of July 19, 2026, in the Berkeley Township area. Schneider was operating a 30-foot Tidewater vessel when it struck a channel marker in the Intracoastal Waterway at about 9:09 p.m. The impact threw two children, 9-year-old Mya Bella Golabek and 7-year-old Sigmund Paul Golabek, into the water.
Schneider and his wife, Laurie, who was also aboard the boat, pulled the children from the water and brought them to shore. Emergency responders performed life-saving efforts before the siblings were taken to a hospital, where both were pronounced dead.
Stephen Schneider Faces Homicide Charges
According to court records reported Friday, Schneider was arrested and charged with two counts of reckless vessel homicide. Prosecutors allege that he was operating the boat while under the influence of alcohol when the crash occurred. His blood-alcohol concentration has not been publicly disclosed.
The tragedy has devastated the children’s family and shocked the local community. Mya and Sigmund, siblings who lived in Lacey, were remembered as close companions whose lives were tragically cut short during what was reportedly a family boating trip.
Officials previously said the channel marker’s lights were functioning properly at the time of the collision. The investigation into the crash and the circumstances surrounding Schneider’s alleged impairment continues.
The case highlights the potentially devastating consequences of operating a vessel while impaired. Authorities continue to investigate as Schneider faces the criminal charges stemming from the deaths of his two grandchildren.
The loss of Mya and Sigmund has left their family and the Barnegat Bay community grieving, while the legal case against Stephen Schneider moves forward.
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