Anthony Ciccarelli, 54, was issued a summons to appear Sept. 6 in Niagara Falls City Court. He also was charged with violating the Canada Shipping Act.

Ciccarelli was boating with his girlfriend when they entered the area that's restricted because of its swift current and its proximity to Niagara Falls.

The boat was spotted at about 6:30 p.m. by Sgt. Lance Dobbin of Niagara Parks Police. It was speeding northward and already was well beyond the restriction buoys at the mouth of the Welland River.

Ciccarelli was able to turn his boat around, and Canadian authorities escorted him out of the danger zone. Several agencies from both sides of the border responded to the incident.

The boater claimed he didn't know where he was, according to Sgt. Patrick Moriarty of State Parks Police.

"He was lucky," Moriarty said. "He was lucky."