Chincoteague man acquitted in boat felony case

By Linda Cicoira

A Chincoteague restaurant and business owner was acquitted Thursday in Accomack Circuit Court of failing to stop following a boating collision in local waters in 2023.

The defendant, 43-year-old Luke Travis Britton, of Bunting Road, did not testify at the bench trial. His lawyer, James Broccoletti of Norfolk, said there was no way Britton could have known the woman was injured, that his contact information was known to her, and that there was no collision.

After deliberating in his chambers for about 40 minutes, Judge Lynwood W. Lewis Jr. dismissed the case because he said some issues would be settled in civil court.  Lewis said the criminal statute was meant for a collision of two boats, not a vessel running aground.

Judge Lewis also stated the case involved “three friends whooping it up all day long on a Sunday” and that it was reasonable for Britton to think Angela Orlandi, also of Chincoteague, was not injured, as she did not request medical treatment. “He thought she had the wind knocked out of her,” said Lewis. It was not discovered until 24 hours later that she had fractured ribs and a punctured lung.

Orlandi testified that she was knocked into the console and hit the deck after the boat came to a sudden halt. She said she told the others that she couldn’t catch her breath and then asked to be taken to shore. She was put out at a dock about a mile from her home.

Another islander said he and his wife gave the woman a ride home.

“She appeared to be crying or to be very upset about something,” the man said. “She was very distraught. I could barely understand what she was trying to say. She was hunched over. I helped her get in my truck. She was trying to tell me some stuff… She was very upset and hurting.” He said she smelled of alcohol and was staggering.

Testimony also disclosed that there was no damage to the 25-foot boat, that it is common in the area to hit sandbars, and that Orlandi was not bleeding or showing any apparent signs of injury.

Dr. Charles Goldstein testified that bruising on her rib cage showed up about 24 hours later and that a large tube had to be inserted to reinflate the lung. She was in the hospital for about three days.

     Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Michael Baker said the motive for not reporting the incident was that Britton was alcohol impaired and that he did not have proper stickers for the boat, which was registered in Maryland under someone else’s name. “He wanted to stay out of trouble himself,” Baker said.