Man accused of running 43-Foot boat aground on Martha's Vineyard beach while intoxicated

A Cape Cod man is accused of drunkenly running his boat aground on Martha's Vineyard last weekend.

Massachusetts State Police say the boat operator, identified as 32-year-old Riley Blizard, of Cotuit, is being charged with operating a boat under the influence of liquor, and negligent operation of a boat.

According to police, troopers responded to Chappaquiddick Island around 9:40 p.m. Friday after learning a large boat had run aground. Once on scene, they discovered a 43-foot Hinckley Sport Boat 40C that was stranded on the beach.

Officers saw two men who were on the boat when it crashed, and asked them what happened. The men explained that a navigational error had been made, police said.

A trooper who was talking with Blizard immediately recognized signs of impairment, according to police, so both he and his passenger were escorted to Chappaquiddick Road where Blizard underwent standardized field sobriety tests.

Based on the results, Blizard was arrested and taken to Dukes County Jail. He was scheduled to be arraigned at Edgartown District Court. It wasn't immediately clear if he had obtained an attorney.