A Mill Island teenager who perished in a jet ski accident two years ago was recalled with tears by family and friends who assembled for a wreath-casting ceremony near the waters that tragically claimed his life.
Paul Zaccaria was hailed for his free spirit in a ceremony, coordinated by the motorcycle club Rolling Thunder Chapter 1, NY, whose members rode from Marine Park to his family’s home on National Drive where they placed flowers upon the water during a touching tribute.
Paul’s mother, Jo-Ann, and his friends read poems and eulogized the 17-year-old, who was propelled from his vessel into Mill Basin after a collision with a watercraft allegedly driven by Aristotle Plagianokos, 16. Cops charged Plagianokos with leaving the scene of an accident, speeding and recklessness, and failure to report an accident.
Shortly after the fatal accident, Paul’s family and friends joined local officials to dedicate a mural to him at the intersection of Mill Avenue and Avenue U.
The Zaccaria family is trying to pass a jet ski safety law requiring riders to take a safety course and wear a life jacket before entering the water.
