Elio Persico, the captain of the rented motorboat involved in the terrible accident that killed Adrienne Vaughan, is being investigated by police for possible homicide charges. Vaughan was a 45-year-old publishing executive from Glen Rock who served as the president of Bloomsbury Publishing in New York.

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Who is Elio Persico?

Elio Persico was the 30-year-old skipper of the motorboat involved in the accident of the Bloomsbury USA president, Adrienne Vaughan. According to reports, the Italian captain was drugged up and distracted on his phone before the tragedy.

As per the Italian media, Persico, 30, was found to have alcohol and cocaine in his system soon after the accident. Chief Prosecutor Giuseppe Borelli stated that Persico is under investigation for manslaughter and causing a shipwreck, however, he hasn’t been charged yet. He also faces a negligent injury charge.

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Vaughan, 45, and her husband were on board the boat with their two young children. The family was on a sightseeing excursion outside of Positano when the 29-foot speedboat collided with the considerably bigger hired sailboat carrying over 80 passengers and staff.

In the incident, Vaughan was flung off the boat and hit by a propeller, resulting in the amputation of her right arm. The first rescuers who came to the scene attempted to treat her, but she died at the scene.

Vaughan’s husband, Mike White, said Persico had been distracted while driving the boat. “He was always on the phone,” White said, according to Italian news outlet Il Messaggero.

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According to toxicology tests, the skipper used cocaine and drank alcohol before operating the 20-foot speedboat. Although the quantity of narcotics in his system and his level of intoxication were not immediately known, they appeared to be minimal, according to regional news sources. As part of the probe, prosecutors are apparently also looking for Persico’s phone records.

The captain is currently at the San Giovanni di Dio e Ruggi d’Aragona Hospital in Salerno after sustaining fractured ribs and pelvic injuries in the accident.