‘Drunk’ NJ man charged with killing ‘amazing mother’ under boat propeller
A man has been charged with aggravated manslaughter in the death of a woman ejected from a moving boat and struck by the propeller 2 1/2 years ago off New Jersey.
Members of U.S. Marshals regional fugitive task force on Monday arrested 45-year-old Arthur Lesbirel, of Galloway Township, on the charge, the Atlantic County prosecutor's office said Tuesday.
Prosecutors allege that he was operating the 18-foot Beachcraft “recklessly" in July 2019 in the Intercoastal Waterway in Galloway Township. He was earlier charged with boating under the influence.
Authorities have said that 39-year-old Iesha Thies of Mays Landing was ejected from the boat and sustained “major injuries” when she was struck by the propeller. She was pronounced dead at a hospital a short time later.
Another passenger was charged with allowing Lesbirel to operate the vessel under the influence.
Lesbirel is at the Atlantic County Justice Facility pending a detention hearing. It's unclear whether he has an attorney and numbers listed in his name were no longer in service last week.
'She was a beautiful soul and no one compares to her.'
Thies was a mother of a son and worked as a waitress at Motts Creek in Galloway.
"Iesha 'Eshy' lived every day to the fullest. She was a loving daughter, caring sister, wild cousin, giving aunt, cherished granddaughter, adoring niece, overwhelmingly kind, compassionate, loving and above all a TRUE friend and AMAZING Mother," according to a tribute left by a friend on Everloved.com. "She was a beautiful soul and no one compares to her."