Buffalo, NY – Erie County Sheriff Timothy B. Howard reports Marine Unit Deputies Coulombe and Okal stopped a personal watercraft around 9:45 P.M. in Buffalo’s Outer Harbor for operating the vessel after sunset.

The Deputies observed signs of impairment and brought 23-year-old Nicholas Bammel of Orchard Park to shore to administer standard field sobriety tests.  Bammel refused the tests and subsequently was arrested and charged with a misdemeanor count of BWI.  The defendant was also charged with operating a personal watercraft after sunset and operating a craft without a safety certificate.

The defendant was released on appearance tickets to a sober third party