Grandfather Freed After Fatal Boat Crash Killed Grandkids

Stephen Schneider, 64, of Bayville, was released from the Ocean County Jail on Wednesday morning, August 19, 2026, pending the resolution of a criminal case against him. He had been incarcerated since his arrest on Friday, August 14, 2026.

Schneider is facing serious charges, including two counts of second-degree reckless vessel homicide and operating a vessel under the influence. These charges stem from a July 19, 2026, incident on Barnegat Bay that tragically resulted in the deaths of his grandchildren, 9-year-old Mya Bella Golabek and 7-year-old Sigmund Paul Golabek. A toxicology report indicated his judgment and response time were significantly impaired by alcohol, with a blood alcohol content of 0.16%.

Despite prosecutors arguing against his release, State Superior Court Judge Wendel E. Daniels granted it, influenced by a letter from the victims' parents requesting his release. Schneider has a minor prior incident from 39 years ago. He is scheduled to appear before Judge Guy P. Ryan on Tuesday, September 15, 2026. The family had dined out, and the children, wearing life jackets, were ejected from the boat after it struck a channel marker at approximately 20 mph.