HONESDALE, PA -  The Wayne County District Attorney  has released the following information about an incident in September of 2024. 

On September 1, 2024, a personal watercraft (PWC) struck three (3) other vessels at the Wallenpaupack Lake Estates dock and ramp. The operator, Matthew Milde, came to shore and fled the scene. Before the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission arrived at the scene, other family members removed the PWC with a golf cart and trailer with identifying information of the owners of the PWC.

When the officers arrived at the residence, William Milde and Timothy Milde were identified as the individuals who removed the PWC from the crash scene. Also, the golf cart displayed a different identification flag, the trailer had a different plate, and the PWC had a different registration number sticker.

William Milde and Timothy Milde denied knowing who operated the PWC. The Mildes claimed to remove the PWC registration with the correct registration but did not have any paperwork to verify their story concerning the registration of the PWC.

The Milde family is charged with tampering with evidence, false statements, permit and registration violations, duty to give information involving a boating accident, and reckless and negligent operation of a watercraft.

The filing of criminal charges is not evidence of guilt but simply a description of the charge made by the Commonwealth against a defendant. A charged Defendant is presumed innocent until a jury returns a unanimous finding that the Commonwealth has proven the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt or until the defendant enters a guilty plea to the charges.