It would have been pretty easy for El to catch felons if he had been at the Town Docks back when Littlefield staggered into his boat. Seeing him try to leave before untying the boat would have been another indication that perhaps he was over served? Sometimes people will do most anything to avoid a DRAM shop claim.
Just sayin......
"And state law gives boaters 48 hours to report accidents to the Marine Patrol if they believe the damages are less than $500. That could have been a factor in Littlefield's case because he did not turn himself in to the Marine Patrol until the deadline was approaching, making any test for alcohol impairment irrelevant.
Authorities and Littlefield was with family and friends all day on Aug. 11, boating, drinking, and partying from noon until about 9 p.m. Witnesses said they saw him later at a local restaurant where he danced by himself and, later, slumped over a table with his head bobbing and eyes closed.
At about 9:30, Littlefield allegedly took his boat out onto Meredith Bay where, in the vicinity of the Grouse Point Club, he rammed Hartman's boat. State experts estimate that Littlefield's Baja was traveling about 25 miles per hour when the crash occurred.
The accident did not surprise Carolyn Latti, of Latti & Anderson, a Boston law firm that specializes in maritime law.
Latti, who has worked on several civil cases related to boating mishaps on Winnipesaukee, said alcohol abuse is frequently a factor in serious accidents on the water.
"The majority of them involve drinking," she said. "It's drinking or inexperience.""
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