An arrest and warning about drunken boating

The Coast Guard used the arrest of a man on drunken boating charges over the holiday weekend to issue a reminder that operating a boat under the influence of alcohol is illegal in every state.

A boarding team from Coast Guard Station Manasquan Inlet was conducting a routine safety check 4:30 p.m. Saturday in the Manasquan River when it discovered that six of the seven people aboard a 26-foot pleasure craft appeared to be intoxicated, the Coast Guard said. Inspectors said they also found several empty beer cans in the boat.

The boat's operator, who was not identified, had a blood-alcohol level of 0.18 and was taken to the Point Pleasant Police Department, where he was arrested, the Coast Guard said. The one sober passenger aboard the boat drove it to a nearby marina, authorities said.

Penalties for boating under the influence vary by state, but can include fines, jail, loss of boating privileges, and even loss of vehicle driving privileges.