Cruiser collides with marine patrol boat in St. Clair Shores

ST. CLAIR SHORES — According to a press release from the Macomb County Sheriff’s Office, one of its Marine Division patrol boats was struck by a Sea Ray Cabin Cruiser while conducting a marine violation stop on another boat July 5 in St. Clair Shores.

No one was injured and the patrol boat was not taken out of commission, according to the Sheriff’s Office. Macomb County Sheriff Anthony Wickersham said this happened at Jefferson Beach Marina.

The patrol boat and the stopped boat, a 17-foot Wellcraft, were positioned one behind the other on the marina seawall near the Lake St. Clair entrance, the release said. The cruiser was driving in from the lake, going at a rate greater than slow, no wake speed, according to the Sheriff’s Office. The cruiser reportedly struck the patrol boat on the port side, which caused damage to both vessels. The cruiser reportedly also struck the seawall before coming to a rest.

The 69-year-old Oak Park man driving the boat showed signs of impairment during field sobriety tests, the press release states. Wickersham said the driver of the cruiser was arrested for operating while intoxicated. He was transported to the Macomb County Jail.

Wickersham said this is one of the things his office always talks about in terms of boater safety — making sure people aren’t operating boats while intoxicated and having someone aboard who has not been drinking and can operate the vessel to get everyone back to shore safely.