On November 22, 2025, the Oneida County Sheriff’s Office Marine Patrol Unit responded to a boating accident on Oneida Lake near Sylvan Beach. The incident occurred around 2:00 p.m. and involved Bradley T. Dougherty, a 50-year-old resident of Rome, New York.
Dougherty was operating an 18-foot, 2008 Stingray open-bow boat in a southeasterly direction near the end of the breakwater at Buoy-106 when he struck submerged rocks while navigating back into the Erie Canal. The collision left his boat disabled.
According to authorities, “The hazardous water conditions, 2-4ft waves, caused his boat to take waves over the bow and stern as the high winds (12-20mph) pushed him onto the rocky breakwater, where he became hard-ground, between Buoy-104 and the eastern shoreline of Oneida Lake.” After this occurred, members of the Sylvan Beach Volunteer Fire Department removed Dougherty from the grounded vessel.
He was then transported to the Emergency Wall on the Erie Canal in Sylvan Beach for evaluation by Vineall Ambulance personnel. Dougherty declined further medical treatment after being assessed.
Plans are in place for Triple T Towing and Underwater Recovery to remove the grounded vessel when weather conditions improve.
