Ocean City Man Sentenced to 18 Months in Jail After Wife Dies Following Jet Ski Incident on Isle of Wight Bay

Worcester County, MD - An Ocean City man will spend the next 18 months behind bars after his wife died following a jet ski accident that investigators say involved alcohol.

Charles Richter, 74, was sentenced on April 27, 2026, in Worcester County Circuit Court for causing a life-threatening injury while operating a vessel impaired by alcohol. The Honorable Beau H. Oglesby handed down the sentence, and Richter will serve his time at the Worcester County Detention Center.

The case began on June 22, 2024, when emergency crews received a distress call about a possible drowning near the Isle of Wight Bay and the Route 90 bridge in Ocean City. The Ocean City Fire Department, Emergency Medical Services, and officers of the Natural Resources Police all responded to the scene. When crews arrived, they found witnesses already on shore helping a woman who appeared to be unconscious.

She was taken to Tidal Health and placed in the intensive care unit. Sadly, she did not survive. She passed away on June 30, 2024, eight days after the incident.

Officers at the scene identified the woman's husband as Charles Richter, who was showing signs of alcohol impairment when police located him. Richter told police that he and his wife had been on their way home by jet ski after visiting a local bar. He said he hit a wave, which caused his wife to fall off the jet ski and into the bay.

Richter said he could not get his wife back onto the jet ski. Instead, he dragged her through choppy water and large swells toward shore by her life vest, which caused her to take in water.

Witnesses on a nearby vessel heard the woman say she could not breathe, then watched her slip out of her life vest and go fully underwater.

Those witnesses quickly responded. They found the woman, brought her to shore, and began performing life-saving measures until emergency crews arrived.

The investigation revealed that Richter had consumed multiple alcoholic beverages before getting on the jet ski. He failed field sobriety tests at the scene, and a breath test taken several hours after he operated the jet ski still showed a blood alcohol content of .07.

The investigation also involved a detailed scene reconstruction, which prosecutors described as a difficult but important part of building the case.

Worcester County State's Attorney Kris Heiser praised the people who stepped in that day to help. She commended the good Samaritan witnesses and first responders who acted quickly to aid the victim.

She also recognized the Natural Resources Police and Cpl. Groleau for conducting a thorough investigation, which included the difficult scene reconstruction.

Heiser also thanked Assistant State's Attorney Brittani Stewart, who secured Richter's conviction.

This case is a hard reminder of the dangers of operating any watercraft after drinking. What started as a day out on the water ended in tragedy for one family. Alcohol impairs judgment, balance, and reaction time, all things that matter when you are out on the water, and this case shows that the consequences can be severe.

Charles Richter's sentencing closes one chapter of this case, but the loss of a life leaves a mark that no courtroom ruling can undo.