Late-night canoe ride leaves student dead and survivor facing charge

The sole survivor of a late-night canoe trip that resulted in the death of a 20-year-old college student faces criminal charges after investigators alleged he had been drinking before the trip turned tragic.

Connecticut circuit police arrested Michael Collins, 20, of Mineola, New York, on a charge of operating a boat under the influence in connection with the March drowning of 20-year-old Dominick Tocci of Woodstock, Connecticut.

Investigators said Collins and Tocci had been drinking with a group of friends on the night of March 21 before getting into a canoe and heading to Hayward Lake in East Haddam.

The trip quickly turned disastrous after the canoe capsized and both men were sent into the water.

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FOX61 previously reported He said he heard a nearby resident’s calls for help before good Samaritans rescued Collins from the lake.

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Tocci’s disappearance below the surface sparked a massive search involving the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) Environmental Protection Police, Connecticut State Police drone and dive teams, local fire departments and other emergency responders.

After several days of searching, crews recovered Tocci’s body from Hayward Lake on the afternoon of March 23. Months later, EnCon Police obtained an arrest warrant alleging Collins was operating the canoe under the influence of blood.

Collins turned himself in to EnCon Police on July 10, where he was arrested and charged with boating while intoxicated. He was released on a promise to appear in court and is scheduled to appear in court on July 23.

Authorities have not filed any additional criminal charges in Tocci’s death.

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A canoe capsized on Hayward Lake in East Haddam, Connecticut, in March 2026, killing 20-year-old Dominick Tocci. The sole survivor was later arrested on charges of penetration on a boat. (Carol M. Highsmith/Buyenlarge/Getty Images)

News of Tocci’s death devastated his hometown of Woodstock; where friends, coaches and former teammates remembered the 20-year-old as a talented athlete whose extraordinary personality left a lasting impression on everyone he met.

A woman who identified herself as Tocci’s stepmother on social media wrote that the family was “devastated” by the loss.

“We are so sorry for the loss of my stepson Dominick, please keep him in your prayers,” he wrote at the time of his death. “What a great kid and he will be missed forever.”

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Dominick Tocci, 20, of Connecticut, who drowned when a canoe capsized on Hayward Lake. (Gilman Funeral Home and Crematorium)

Woodstock Little League, where Tocci played before graduating from the program in 2018, remembered him as a “bright and gregarious soul” who “brought energy, laughter and kindness to everyone he met.”

“Dom was a beloved teammate and the kind of kid every coach wanted on the bench,” the league wrote. “Dom’s personality, warmth and enthusiasm touched everyone he met. Our hearts go out to his mother Lisa, brother Vincent, sister Antoinette and the rest of Dom’s family. Rest in peace, Dominick. You will be missed but never forgotten.”

According to Tocci’s obituary, memorial donations were directed to youth baseball programs in Woodstock in his honor.

The arrest comes just weeks after DEEP launched Operation Dry Water, a nationwide enforcement campaign targeting cruises influenced by the July 4 holiday.

The agency noted that alcohol remains the leading known factor in recreational boating deaths and reminded boaters that under a Connecticut law that goes into effect in October 2025, boating while intoxicated can also result in a person’s license being suspended.

“Every boater has a responsibility to help keep Connecticut’s waterways safe,” DEEP Commissioner Katie Dykes said in a statement announcing the campaign. he said. “If you are operating a boat this holiday weekend, stay sober, wear a life jacket, and make smart decisions that will protect your passengers and everyone else on the water.”

Fox News Digital has reached out to DEEP’s Environmental Protection Agency for additional information. It is not yet clear whether Collins has retained an attorney.