San Diego

An administrative law judge has placed a nine-month suspension on the licenses of the operators of two fishing boats that collided head-on in the early-morning darkness off the Coronado Islands in late September, forcing the evacuation of 32 people, a Coast Guard Marine Safety Office spokesman said.

Lorna Roberts, the operator of the 65-foot Aztec, and Greg Stanton, who piloted the 50-foot Temptress, were found guilty of negligence, Lt. Larry Solberg said. Roberts fell asleep at the helm and Stanton was absent from the bridge when the boats collided, he said.

The ruling, handed down last month, stipulates that both operators are prohibited from piloting a vessel for three months, Solberg said, adding that the two face an additional six-month suspension if they are found guilty of another violation within the next year.