George Pino found not guilty of manslaughter in fatal Florida boat crash trial
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Miami real estate developer George Pino has been found not guilty in connection with the September 2022 boating accident off Boca Chita Key in Biscayne Bay that left one teenager dead and another permanently disabled.
The verdict was handed down Monday and acquitted Pino, 55, who was charged with second-degree manslaughter and vessel homicide for the crash that killed 17-year-old Lucy Fernandez and life-changing injuries to another teenager, Katy Puig, now 21, according to NBC 6 .
The verdict came after eight days of emotional testimony in South Florida.
During closing arguments, prosecutors argued Pino was careless when he crashed his boat into a canal marker during the 2022 Labor Day weekend, while the defense argued the collision was an accident.
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George Pino was found not guilty of manslaughter or vessel homicide in connection with the fatal 2022 boating accident. (Carl Juste/Miami Herald/Tribune News Service)
“We are grateful to the jurors for carefully considering the evidence and reaching a fair verdict,” lead defense attorney Howard Srebnick said in a statement after the verdict. “From the beginning, we have maintained that the events of September 4, 2022 were a tragic accident and not a crime. Testimony presented at the hearing (including unrebutted testimony from eyewitnesses who saw no signs of damage) confirmed that Mr. Pino was not under the influence, did not operate the vessel recklessly, and did everything he could to protect his passengers after the accident.”
Miami-Dade State’s Attorney Katherine Fernandez-Rundle, who prosecuted the case, said she was disappointed in the verdict but accepted the jury’s verdict.
“While everyone in our community and beyond recognizes the tragedy of the boating death of Lucy Fernandez and the permanent disablement of Katy Puig on Labor Day 2022, my prosecutors and I believed that George Pino’s actions in the waters of Biscayne Bay were all reckless and constituted a crime as defined in Florida’s criminal statutes.” he said.
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George Pino’s boat struck a channel mark on September 4, 2022. (FWC report)
“Unfortunately, I know that this decision does not bring any comfort to the Fernandez and Puig families, who will have to live forever with the tragedy of what happened. In such a situation, there is neither winner nor loser,” he added. “Mr. Pino must live with his actions, while the Fernandez and Puig families will grapple with the consequences of his actions.”
On September 4, 2022, Pino and his wife hosted their daughter’s birthday celebration on their boat.
Investigators said Pino was starting the family’s 29-foot boat and returning to the dock when it struck a channel marker near Boca Chita Key. Pino told investigators another boat passed and created a large wake. He said he turned to check on the teens after waking up, which caused him to hit the sign.
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue agents respond to a boating accident that killed one person on September 4, 2022 near Boca Chita Key, Florida. (Miami-Dade Fire Rescue/AP)
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Due to the impact of the accident, everyone on the ship fell into the sea and fell into the water. The accident also caused a large hole in the side of the ship.
In the accident, 11 of 14 passengers were injured, 6 of whom were hospitalized. Fernandez later died from his injuries, and Puig suffered a traumatic brain injury that disabled him for life.
