ANDOVER, Mass. — An attorney who specializes in defending drunken driving cases faces his own drunken driving charges after a Saturday-night boating accident in which a 19-year-old woman’s arm was cut off by a propeller.

Benjamin Urbelis, 33, was operating his 30-foot Chaparral powerboat, the “Naut Guilty,” around 7:30 p.m. Saturday when the teenage woman jumped into the water to retrieve a boat cushion, according to the Suffolk County District Attorney’s office. The vessel drifted toward her and she was struck by the propeller, according to Suffolk County District Attorney Nicole Rimar.

Firefighters searched for the woman’s arm, which was severed above the elbow when she tried to get back into the boat, but could not find it in the water.

Urbelis wore a green “Beat L.A.” Boston Celtic’s T-shirt and swim trunks at his arraignment Monday morning in Boston Municipal Court. He pleaded not guilty to charges of causing serious bodily injury while operating a boat under the influence of alcohol, negligent operation of a boat, and the civil offense of operating a motorboat with no identification number. 

Urbelis’ father, Andover Town Counsel Tom Urbelis, could not be reached for comment Monday, but was seen in the courthouse with his wife, Deborah. They live on Eastman Road. Tom Urbelis is also the North Andover town counsel.

Rimar, of the DA’s Major Felony Bureau, recommended that Urbelis be held on $75,000 cash bail. Judge Sally Kelly imposed that amount and an order that Urbelis surrender his passport.

The U.S. Coast Guard and marine units of the Boston Police, State Police, Massachusetts Environmental Police and Boston Fire departments all responded to the area of the southwest corner of Spectacle Island about 7:45 p.m. Saturday after a distress call from Urbelis’ 30-foot boat. With the assistance of Boston EMS, they rescued the victim and transported her to Massachusetts General Hospital, where she is recovering.

Suspect ‘drunk and belligerent’ at scene, say cops

Urbelis and 12 additional passengers, ages 15 to 33, were brought on board an Environmental Police vessel for interviews.

A prosecutor said Urbelis was “drunk and belligerent” while police interviewed him after the accident and that a search warrant executed on the boat turned up large quantities of alcohol. About four hours after the initial distress call, Urbelis agreed to take a breath test and had a blood alcohol level of 0.09, Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said. The legal limit for operating a vehicle in Massachusetts is 0.08.

Urbelis’ boat was towed to the Environmental Police dock, where it was secured pending additional investigation.

Based on witness interviews and the victim’s injuries, investigators said they believe that Urbelis was operating the boat and had control of its navigation and use at the time the victim was injured. At some point while he was attempting to anchor, the evidence suggests, she and other passengers jumped into the water to retrieve a pad that had blown off the front of the boat. The young woman had trouble re-boarding, however, and was injured by the active propeller, according to a press release from Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley’s office.

Urbelis is represented by attorney Daniel O’Malley. Urbelis will return to court on June 26.

O’Malley could not be reached for comment.

According to his law firm’s website, www.massduidefenselawyer.com, Urbelis graduated from Suffolk Law School. In December 2009, he established his law practice, which specializes in drunken driving cases.

He currently holds the position of attorney-coach for the Central Catholic High School mock trial team, where he is also on the private Lawrence school’s Alumni Board of Advisors. He is also the founder of Top Shelf Entertainment and equity partner at Boston’s Julep Bar and Blue Inc. restaurants.

Registry of Motor Vehicles records show that Urbelis was arrested in Andover on New Year’s Eve in 1998 for operating under the influence when he was 16, the Boston Globe reported. According to the 1999 town street listing, Benjamin Urbelis lived with his parents on Eastman Road at that time.

Bill Kirk of The Eagle Tribune reported this story. Material from the Associated Press was used in this report.