A drunken boater who admitted killing one of his passengers in a crash in Galloway Township's Great Bay Inlet two years ago was sentenced to five years in prison Monday, the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office said.

Jason Santo, 42, of Atco, Camden County, pleaded guilty Aug. 5 to reckless death by vessel and assault by vessel in the death of Mark Risden, 44, of Tabernacle, Burlington County.

Santo must serve 85% of his sentence before becoming eligible for parole. He's also subject to three years of parole supervision and a five-year loss of license upon release.

The crash occurred at 12:06 a.m. Aug. 12, 2023, when the vessel, which was traveling at a high rate of speed, struck an Intracoastal Waterway channel marker in the inlet, the Prosecutor’s Office said Tuesday in a news release.

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