4 months prison sentence, 3 years probation for prank - dropping cruise ship anchor [View all]

[Liberal_in_LA]

Man headed to prison for dropping cruise anchor

A California businessman has been sentenced to four months incarceration and three years of probation for a drunken prank while aboard a Holland America cruise ship.

U.S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday also on Tuesday ordered 45-year-old Rick Ehlert to pay a $7,500 fine and to participate in substance abuse and mental health counseling.

The Thousand Oaks, Calif., man pleaded guilty last year to bringing the MS Ryndam to a halting stop when he dropped the 18-ton stern anchor on the MS Ryndam after a night of drinking. The ship was traveling at 18 knots as it returned to Tampa from Mexico on Nov. 27, 2010. The prank delayed the ship by three hours.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2012/03/07/state/n064746S82.DTL#ixzz1oSJeAS6b


Holland America says the 56,000-ton ship was not damaged however officials in the criminal complaint say Ehlert's alleged actions could have sunk the Ryndam.

Authorities say Ehlert was identified using surveillance footage and has admitted to releasing the anchor, as well as throwing a life buoy overboard. He reportedly told the FBI he was drunk at the time.

http://www.wtsp.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=159538