A man on trial for causing the death of Ian Gerber in a boating accident while intoxicated has been sentenced to probation only.
An investigation by the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office revealed that on July 4, 2021, Defendant Heflin, several underage individuals and a number of adults hosted an underage drinking party in the area of Sandy Bay on Saratoga Lake.
The investigation further revealed that just before 7 p.m. that evening, Defendant Heflin and several individuals departed the area of Sandy Bay on the defendant’s pontoon boat and traveled in a southerly direction on Saratoga Lake toward Brown’s Beach. Witnesses observed passengers on the pontoon boat jumping off the side of the boat while the boat was moving. It was determined that one of those passengers-Ian Gerber-later, jumped off the starboard side of the defendant’s pontoon boat as it was moving. While operating his boat in an intoxicated condition, the defendant turned the pontoon boat away from Gerber while he was in the water, thus exposing Gerber to the boat’s propeller. While in the water, Gerber sustained injuries that ultimately caused his death. The investigation also revealed that a second boat in the area may have also struck Gerber while he was in the water.
The defendant was interviewed by police immediately after the incident, and it was determined that the defendant was intoxicated at the time of the incident. Five additional passengers on the pontoon boat-acquaintances of both defendant and Gerber provided statements to police immediately after the incident. All of the passengers on the pontoon boat claimed that the pontoon boat was not involved. The operator of the second boat and his passenger were interviewed by police and cooperated with the investigation.
As the investigation continued, the Sheriff’s Office sought assistance from several boating experts, the New York State Police Forensic Identification Unit, a forensic pathologist and an outside biochemical expert. With the assistance of these outside sources and through physical and scientific evidence collected from the two boats, the Sheriff’s Office determined that the defendant’s pontoon boat struck Gerber while he was in the water, causing traumatic injuries. The evidence also revealed that Gerber had also been struck by a second boat while already incapacitated in the water.
Later in the investigation, the passengers from the pontoon boat provided conflicting information about what had occurred, which materially differed from the prior sworn statements they had given to police. Ultimately, the only eyewitnesses to what occurred refused to cooperate with the investigation.
This week, Blake A. Heflin, 20, of Malta, New York, was sentenced by Saratoga County Court Judge James A. Murphy, III to a three-year term of probation following his December 23, 2021 plea of guilty to charges of Assault in the Third Degree, in violation of New York State Penal Law Section 120.00(3) and Boating While Intoxicated, in violation of New York State Navigation Law §49-a(2)(d)
Saratoga County District Attorney Heggen said, “It is my hope that the sentence pronounced today offers some closure for the loved ones of Ian Gerber knowing that his tragic death is a loss that will never go away or fully be healed. The victim’s family showed remarkable courage today standing before the Court, facing the young man who is responsible for their son’s death, and wholeheartedly forgiving him for the poor choices he made. The family ultimately chose compassion and forgiveness over anger and retribution.”