Ocean City Jet Ski Operator Sentenced In Wife鈥檚 Death; Alcohol Involved
A Worcester County Circuit Court judge has sentenced a 74-year-old Ocean City, Maryland man to 18 months in jail for causing a life-threatening injury while operating a vessel under the influence of alcohol. The case stems from an incident in June 2024 near the Isle of Wight Bay and Route 90 bridge, where emergency crews, including the Ocean City Fire Department and Maryland Natural Resources Police, responded to a reported drowning. Charles Richter’s wife later died from her injuries. Investigators say Richter, who showed signs of impairment and had been drinking prior to operating a jet ski, lost control in rough waters, causing his wife to fall overboard. Witnesses assisted in bringing her to shore, but she later died at the hospital.
Charles Richter
Additional Information from the Office of the State’s Attorney for Worcester County:
On April 27, 2026, Charles Richter, age 74, of Ocean City, Maryland, was sentenced to serve 18
months in the Worcester County Detention Center for his conviction of causing life-threatening injury
while operating a vessel impaired by alcohol. The Honorable Beau H. Oglesby of the Worcester County
Circuit Court imposed the sentence.
The charges stem from a distress call received on June 22, 2024, regarding a possible drowning.
The Ocean City Fire Department, Emergency Medical Services and officers of the Natural Resources
Police responded to the area near the Isle of Wight Bay and the Route 90 bridge in Ocean City,
Maryland. Upon arrival, they observed witnesses administering aid to a woman who appeared to be
unconscious lying on the shore. She was transported to Tidal Health where she remained in the intensive
care unit for several days but eventually succumbed to her injuries on June 30, 2024.
Police identified the woman鈥檚 husband as Charles Richter, who they located on scene showing
signs of alcohol impairment. Richter told police that he and his wife had been returning home on his jet
ski after visiting a local bar when he hit a wave which caused his wife to fall off the vessel and into the
bay. Mr. Richter was unable to get his wife back on the jet ski and instead dragged her through choppy
waters and large swells toward the shore by her life vest, causing her to inhale water. Witnesses on a
nearby vessel overheard the victim saying that she could not breathe and then watched her slip out of her
life vest and become fully submerged under water. At that time, the witnesses responded to Richter鈥檚 jet
ski, located the victim and brought her to shore where life-saving measures were performed. Further
police investigation revealed that Richter had consumed multiple alcoholic beverages prior to operating
the jet ski, he failed field sobriety tests and ultimately submitted to a breath test which showed he still had
a blood alcohol content of .07 even several hours after operating the jet ski.
Worcester County State鈥檚 Attorney Kris Heiser commended the good Samaritan witnesses and
first responders who acted quickly to aid the victim and the Natural Resources Police and Cpl. Groleau
for his thorough investigation, which included a difficult scene reconstruction. Heiser also thanked
Assistant State鈥檚 Attorney Brittani Stewart who secured Richter鈥檚 conviction.