Nathan Carman testifies in civil trial

PROVIDENCE, RI (WLNE) – On day six of Nathan Carman’s civil trial, the 26-year-old was called to testify.

The Vermont native is being sued by insurance companies after he filed an $85,000 insurance claim on his boat “Chicken Pox” after it sank off the coast of Long Island in September of 2016.

Carman was on board with his mother, Linda, and the two were on a fishing trip.

Carman was rescued, his mother was never found and is presumed to be dead.

On Thursday in U.S. District Court in Providence, Carman testified for over six hours. It’s his first time recounting what happened at sea under oath.

Carman was questioned on everything from his location at the time of the sinking, to the repairs he made to the boat, and even his IQ.

He sat at the stand emotionless and stern as he answered, maintaining his innocence.

The insurance companies claim he sunk the boat on purpose with his mother on board. His aunts believe he’s responsible for the murder of his grandfather back in 2013.

He’s a person of interest in the death, but has not been charged.

Carman claims the boat was is disrepair when he bought it.

On the stand, he admitted to making modifications right before the trip, like replacing a pump without asking for help.

He admitted in previous depositions that the pump was not functioning properly.

Previous insurance claims were questioned also, like when Carman got a replacement motor when it overheated in the Spring of 2016. He called for help from the Coast Guard then, but when his boat sank, he didn’t.

He claims that he didn’t call for help because he thought he could fix the problem, and thought they were out of range to get any radio signal.

Carman recounted the moments before the boat sank, saying he walked to the deck and felt the floor beneath him was spongy.

Then, he said, “It just dropped out.” The next thing he said he remembers is being in the water and calling for his mother, but didn’t hear a reply.

Carman is back on the stand Friday morning.