CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Gov. Pat McCrory was joined by students, teachers, elected officials and Sheyenne Marshall's family Monday at Cox Mill High School as he signed legislation to crack down on drunken boating.
House Bill 958 was named in honor of Marshall, a Concord teenager and a senior at Cox Mill who was killed last year by a suspected drunken boater on Lake Norman over the Fourth of July weekend.
"This bill cannot bring Sheyenne back to us, but it can help save others by sending a strong message that (drunken) driving in a boat is just as dangerous as in a car," McCrory said. "With summer here and millions of people flocking to our state's lakes and beaches, I want to remind everyone not to drink and drive."
Sheyenne's Law will strengthen penalties for causing death or serious injury by impaired boating from a misdemeanor to a felony.
Past coverage:
- Sheyenne's Law creates new penalties for impaired boat drivers
- Teen killed on Lake Norman remembered as bubbly, friendly
- Lawmakers push for stricter death-by-impaired-boating laws
In 2015, 25 people died in boating-related accidents in North Carolina, and nearly half of those fatalities involved alcohol.
Channel 9 was there for Monday's signing and will bring you the latest updates on Eyewitness News at 5 p.m.
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