A San Diego man was taken into custody Thursday after allegedly stealing a docked yacht and joyriding with it before colliding with other vessels in Orange County, authorities said.
Officers arrested Joel Siam, 38, on suspicion of stealing the 60-foot yacht, according to Carrie Braun, a spokeswoman for the Orange County Sheriff’s Department.
Authorities received reports of the stolen yacht at about 9:20 a.m. Because it was being serviced, the keys had been left on board, Braun said, and it was stolen when the person doing the repairs stepped away.
Siam allegedly crashed the yacht into multiple other boats in Newport Harbor, damaging at least two while joyriding. The yacht eventually slammed into the sea wall next to the Lido Island Bridge, Braun said.
One person was injured aboard one of the damaged boats, Braun said.
Debora Dolly, who was inside one of the crashed vessels, told CBS2 the force of the collision caused part of her boat to cave in on her head. But she told the station she was not seriously injured.
No further injuries were reported. The extent of the damage caused during the theft was not immediately known.
– City News Service
