A grand jury indicted 42-year-old Jason Santo on Wednesday, Nov. 6 for second-degree vehicular homicide, the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office said in a news release. He was charged in the death of 44-year-old Mark Risden.
Investigators said Santo was intoxicated when he crashed his boat into the 141 Intracoastal Waterway marker in the Great Bay Inlet at around 12:06 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 12, 2023. Santo and three other passengers were injured in the crash.
Risden was born in Marlton on Thursday, Jan. 18, 1979, and graduated from Shawnee High School in Medford, according to his obituary from Bradley & Stow Funeral Home. He went on to Curry College in Massachusetts and got his master's degree from Rowan University.
Risden was a contractor classification analyst for the state Department of Treasury's property management and construction division.
"He was compassionate, loving, and always put others before himself," his obituary read. "His infectious smile, boisterous laugh, and positive personality left a lasting impression on all those he met. Although Mark’s loss will be profound, he will live on through the many lives he has touched."
State police helped the county prosecutor's office in the investigation.
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