Body, possibly bride-to-be’s, found in Hudson River near boat crash

A woman’s body was pulled from the Hudson River on Saturday near the spot where a bride-to-be and her fiance’s best man were thrown into the water when the vessel slammed into a construction barge. A speedboat driver has been arrested.

Officials said the recovered body appeared to fit the description of 30-year-old Lindsey Stewart, who has been missing since the accident Friday night, according to the Associated Press.

The search for the body of the best man, 30-year-old Mark Lennon, was suspended Saturday evening.

The operator of the boat, 35-year-old Jojo John of Nyack, was arrested Saturday on one count of first-degree vehicular manslaughter and three counts of second-degree vehicular assault, the Associated Press reported.

Rockland County Undersheriff Robert Van Cura said in a televised news conference Saturday afternoon that the speedboat struck three linked barges at 10:41 p.m. Friday, shortly after it left the village of Piermont for a trip across the river to Tarrytown.

Four men, including the groom-to-be, Brian Bond, remained on the boat after Stewart and Lennon were hurled into the water. All four suffered head injuries, and one was knocked unconscious.

Stewart and Bond, 35, were set to be married Aug. 10, according to the Associated Press. Stewart’s stepfather, Walter Kosik, told the Associated Press that the couple had known each other since they were children.

Van Cura said the barges were loaded with construction material to be used as part of a Tappan Zee Bridge project. The barges were lit, he said, but can be difficult to see on dark nights.

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Twitter: @benjmueller

benjamin.mueller@latimes.com