Boater charged with BWI in bay crash

A family returning by boat to Fire Island early Friday from the "Harry Potter" movie premiere was hurt -- one teenager seriously -- when their vessel was struck by a boat piloted by a drunken man, Suffolk County police and a village official said.

Mario Posillico, 49, a longtime Village of Saltaire administrator, his wife, Georgine Posillico, 47, along with their three children and a teenage family friend were returning from a midnight show to their Saltaire home about 3:15 a.m. when they were struck in the Great South Bay, according to Saltaire Mayor Bob Cox.

The couple's daughter, Michelle Posillico, 19, was taken to Good Samaritan Hospital Medical Center in West Islip with serious injuries. Two other Posillico children and Michelle Posillico's 19-year-old friend were also hurt but released from Good Samaritan later Friday, Cox said.

"The entire community has had their heart in their throats all day, just praying," Cox said.

Mario Posillico has been the village administrator in the Fire Island community for 18 years, Cox said. He and his wife are both emergency medical technicians.

"Mario is a fixture here," Cox said.

The other boat's driver, Brian Swezey, 48, of Babylon, was charged with boating while intoxicated after the crash off Captree Island in Islip Town.

Swezey and his passenger were not hurt, police said.

Det. Sgt. Jeffrey Walker of the Third Squad said arresting officers reported that Swezey smelled of alcohol and had slurred speech. He refused a breath analysis and a warrant was obtained to draw blood for alcohol testing, Walker said.

"It does appear that the [Posillico] boat was broadsided" as it traveled south toward Fire Island," Walker said. Swezey's boat was headed east, police said.

In addition to the BWI charge, Swezey, of 150 Araca Rd., was issued a summons for refusing to take the breath test, police said.

He was being held on Friday at the Third Precinct for a Saturday arraignment. Detectives were seeking to speak with his passenger.

Coast Guard Petty Officer 1st Class Thomas McKenzie said a mayday call brought a rescue boat from the Coast Guard Station at Fire Island and the Suffolk police marine unit.

The Posillico group on the larger boat was taken to Captree Island by a Coast Guard rescue boat. The collision was near buoy No. 2 on the approach to Captree Island. Both boats remained afloat after the accident, McKenzie said.

-- With Gary Dymski