Criminal charge for boater whose propeller fatally struck a swimmer in Atlantic City

MAYS LANDING – An Atlantic City man is facing criminal charges over the death of a woman struck by his motor boat’s propeller.

Jeffrey M. Jastrzembski, 53, is accused of the aggravated manslaughter of Norma Michaels in an Aug. 12, 2023, boating accident.

Jastrzembski allegedly accelerated his boat “at a high rate of speed” toward docks near the Albany Avenue bridge on the Intracoastal Waterway, then made “an aggressive turn,” according to the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office.

Michaels, also an Atlantic City resident, was reportedly swimming near the dock at the time of the 5:15 p.m. accident, the statement said.

Valet parking incident led to arrest WWE star Sonia Deville won't do time for Atlantic City gun-crime charge. Here's why

"Multiple eyewitnesses and surveillance footage confirmed the sequence of events," a probable cause statement alleges.

Michaels, a 79-year-old mother and grandmother, operated an events firm in Philadelphia, her obituary said.

It described her as "a fierce matriarch, self-made businesswoman, and beloved member of her community."

An investigation found Jastrzembski's blood alcohol level was between 0.19 and 0.23 percent, above the legal limit for intoxication of 0.08 percent, the probable cause statement alleges.

It says that was "a significant contributing factor" in the crash.

The charges, filed Jan. 11, are only allegations.

Jastrzembski, who could not be reached for comment, has not been convicted in the case.

Jim Walsh is a senior reporter with the Courier-Post, Burlington County Times and The Daily Journal. Email: Jwalsh@cpsj.com.

This article originally appeared on Cherry Hill Courier-Post: Norma Michaels, a Philadelphia events producer, was struck near a dock