College student's fatal canoe trip takes turn as lone survivor is arrested months later

The lone subsister of a late-night canoe travel that near a 20-year-old assemblage pupil dormant is facing transgression charges aft investigators alleged helium had been drinking earlier the outing turned tragic.

Connecticut biology constabulary arrested Michael Collins, 20, of Mineola, New York, connected a complaint of operating a vessel nether the power successful transportation with the March drowning of Dominick Tocci, a 20-year-old from Woodstock, Connecticut.

Investigators accidental Collins and Tocci had been drinking with a radical of friends earlier the 2 climbed into a canoe and pushed disconnected onto Lake Hayward successful East Haddam connected the nighttime of March 21.

The travel rapidly turned disastrous aft the canoe capsized, sending some men into the water.

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Michael Collins, 20, was arrested by Connecticut biology constabulary connected a complaint of operating a vessel nether the power pursuing a fatal canoe incidental connected Lake Hayward. (Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection (DEEP))

FOX61 antecedently reported that a adjacent nonmigratory heard calls for assistance earlier bully Samaritans rescued Collins from the lake.

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Tocci disappeared beneath the surface, sparking a monolithic hunt involving the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection's (DEEP) Environmental Conservation Police, Connecticut State Police drone and dive teams, section occurrence departments and different exigency responders.

After a multiday search, crews recovered Tocci's assemblage from Lake Hayward connected the day of March 23. Months later, EnCon Police sought an apprehension warrant alleging Collins had been operating the canoe portion nether the influence.

Collins turned himself successful to EnCon Police connected July 10, wherever helium was arrested and charged with operating a vessel nether the influence. He was released connected a committedness to look and is scheduled to look successful tribunal connected July 23.

Authorities person not announced immoderate further transgression charges successful transportation with Tocci's death.

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Lake Hayward successful East Haddam, Connecticut, wherever a canoe capsized successful March 2026, leaving 20-year-old Dominick Tocci dead. The lone subsister was aboriginal arrested connected a boating nether the power charge. (Carol M. Highsmith/Buyenlarge/Getty Images)

News of Tocci's decease devastated his hometown of Woodstock, wherever friends, coaches and erstwhile teammates remembered the 20-year-old arsenic a talented jock whose larger-than-life property near a lasting content connected everyone helium met.

A pistillate identifying herself connected societal media arsenic Tocci's stepmother wrote that the household was "so heartbroken" by the loss.

"We are truthful heartbroken astatine the nonaccomplishment of my stepson, Dominick, delight support america successful your prayers," she wrote astatine the clip of his death. "Such an astonishing kid and volition beryllium missed forever."

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Dominick Tocci, the 20-year-old Connecticut antheral who drowned aft a canoe capsized connected Lake Hayward. (Gilman Funeral Home & Crematory)

Woodstock Little League, wherever Tocci played earlier graduating from the programme successful 2018, remembered him arsenic "a agleam and gregarious spirit" who "brought energy, laughter and kindness to everyone helium met."

"Dom was a beloved teammate and the benignant of kid that each manager would privation successful their dugout," the league wrote. "Dom's personality, warmth and enthusiasm touched everyone that helium knew. Our hearts spell retired to his ma Lisa, his member Vincent, his sister Antoinette and the remainder of Dom's family. Rest successful peace, Dominick. You volition beryllium missed, but ne'er forgotten."

According to Tocci's obituary, memorial donations were directed to younker shot programs crossed Woodstock successful his honor.

The apprehension comes conscionable weeks aft DEEP launched Operation Dry Water, a nationwide enforcement run targeting boating nether the power implicit the Fourth of July holiday.

The bureau noted that intoxicant remains the starring known contributing origin successful recreational boating deaths and reminded boaters that nether a Connecticut instrumentality that took effect successful October 2025, a boating nether the power condemnation tin besides effect successful the suspension of a person's driver's license.

"Every boater has a work to assistance support Connecticut's waterways safe," DEEP Commissioner Katie Dykes said successful a connection announcing the campaign. "If you're operating a vessel this vacation weekend, enactment sober, deterioration a beingness jacket, and marque astute decisions that support your passengers and everyone other connected the water."

Fox News Digital reached retired to DEEP's Environmental Conservation Police for further information. It was not instantly wide whether Collins has retained an attorney.