THE HOURS AFTER THE CRASH: WHY STEPHEN SCHNEIDER’S 0.16 BAC IS DRAWING QUESTIONS
Stephen Schneider reportedly told investigators he had consumed three beers over about two hours before the July 19 boat crash in Barnegat Bay. Prosecutors later said a blood test showed a BAC of about 0.16, roughly twice New Jersey’s 0.08 legal limit.
That timing has become an important part of the discussion because a BAC measured after a crash does not automatically tell us the exact BAC at the precise moment of the collision.
Alcohol levels can change over time as the body absorbs and eliminates alcohol, so investigators have to consider the timing of drinking, the crash, the blood draw and other evidence when interpreting a later test.
In Schneider’s case, prosecutors have pointed to the 0.16 result as evidence of significant impairment, while his defense has indicated it wants an expert to independently examine the BAC evidence.
So the key question surrounding the timeline isn’t simply “What was the BAC later?”
It is what the available evidence can reliably establish about his condition when the boat struck the channel marker.
The case remains ongoing, and the allegations have not been finally determined in court.
Source: New York Post – Prosecutors reveal Stephen Schneider’s reported 0.16 BAC
