investigation of Lake George accident continues

Published in The Post-Star (A1) and Poststar.com
11/5/05

The National Transportation Safety Board released a toxicology report Friday afternoon indicating that the captain of the Ethan Allen had no drugs or alcohol in his blood 46 hours after the tour boat capsized on Lake George, although his urine tested positive for alcohol consumption within the previous 80 hours.

Richard Paris, the vessel's captain, provided voluntary blood and urine samples to investigators two days after the tragedy that left 20 senior citizens dead.

According to Warren County Sheriff Larry Cleveland, Paris told the NTSB on Oct. 3 he had not ingested alcohol since the Thursday night before the accident.

But in Friday's press release, the NTSB stated Paris told them he had consumed alcohol the night before the accident.

"Yeah, that was confusing," said Cleveland, after reading the release. "But I don't think he (Paris) changed his statement. We got all our information from the NTSB, so I don't know how to explain that conflict."

Terry Williams, a spokesman for the NTSB, said he would look into the discrepancy but provided no further comment on the toxicology report.

"It's too early to draw any conclusions on it," he said.

The NTSB used a newly developed method of urine analysis called "EtG testing," which detects ethanol glucuronide (EtG), a by-product of alcohol consumption. A sample of Paris' urine provided on Oct. 5 contained EtG at a level which toxicologists said can confirm alcohol consumption within the previous 80 hours.

The results of the toxicology report were not surprising, said Cleveland.

"We fully expected that they would come back with something in that 80-hour time period," said Cleveland. "But even if he had anything to drink after the accident, it would have showed up. That's the problem."

Cleveland said he's skeptical the EtG test proves anything useful to investigators. "We would never use this type of test in police work," he said. "It doesn't tell you how much alcohol was consumed, or exactly when ... Nobody should draw any conclusions based on the EtG about his condition at the time of the accident. It's scientifically impossible."

Cleveland said he interviewed Paris less than an hour after the accident and saw no obvious signs of alcohol consumption, such as bloodshot eyes or slurred speech.

"I say it now, and I'll say it again; he was not under the influence at the time of the accident," he said. "We have no reason to believe he lied at any point."

Paris, who lives in Queensbury, said he volunteered for the tests because: "I wanted to clear some things up." He denied Friday that he ever told investigators he had been drinking the night before the accident.

"To my knowledge, I never said that," he said by telephone Friday. He said he's doing "OK" since the tragedy but has "lost a lot of faith in the press." He declined to comment further without consulting his attorney.
#