The captain of a 35-foot boat that burst into flames off the Bronx shoreline Saturday night and injured 23 passengers was arrested for drunken driving, police said.
Joshua Brito, 33, is facing charges of driving while intoxicated and reckless endangerment following the fiery incident near Hart Island around 9 p.m., a spokesperson for the NYPD said Sunday.
The blaze sent passengers scrambling into the water to escape the flames, with most making their way to the nearby 131-acre island, law enforcement sources said.
Police said 22 people suffered minor injuries while one other suffered more serious injuries and was listed in stable condition.
The US Coast Guard rescued the stranded passengers and transported them to City Island.
Brito is awaiting arraignment in Bronx Criminal Court on Sunday.
