Captain Pleads Guilty To Seaman's Manslaughter Charge

NEWPORT, RI — Cooper “Chick” Bacon, 79, of Cape May, N.J., has pleaded guilty to seaman's manslaughter in connection with a 2015 collision in waters off Westerly. The accident claimed the life of Walter S. Krupinski, 81, of Norwalk, Conn. Krupinski was onboard his powerboat, the Peggy K, when the yacht, the Princess 60, "ran up and over the open cockpit of the powerboat." Krupinski suffered "multiple blunt force injuries," the U.S. Attorney's Office said.

Bacon appeared in Providence federal court on Tuesday to make the plea. He will be sentenced on Jan. 17.

According to court papers, the accident happened Sept. 22, 2015. Bacon was taking the yacht from Newport to Stamford, Conn., for a boat show. The Coast Guard investigated and found the pilot had "failed to take precautions required by the ordinary practice of a seaman."

The issues happened before and after the crash, the Coast Guard said.

"Bacon did not post his First Mate to lookout, did not make proper use of radar, and did not himself see the powerboat in time to avoid the collision," the Coast Guard said, describing the problems that led up to the collision. "As a result of his failure to see the Peggy K, Bacon did not make passing arrangements, sound the horn, change course, slacken speed, or stop or reverse propulsion to avoid a collision."

Also, the Coast Guard said, "after the collision, Bacon failed to make proper use of the VHF marine radiotelephone by notifying the United States Coast Guard of the emergency."

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