Miami Developer Acquitted in Fatal Boat Crash Case

Miami real estate developer George Pino has been acquitted in a case involving a boat accident that occurred off Boca Chita Key in September 2022. This incident led to the death of one teenager and left another with permanent disabilities.

The ruling was delivered on Monday, resulting in Pino’s acquittal. He faced charges of second-degree manslaughter and vessel homicide related to the crash that killed 17-year-old Lucy Fernandez and severely injured Katy Puig, now 21. The trial involved intense testimonies lasting eight days in South Florida.

During closing arguments, the prosecution contended that Pino acted recklessly by crashing his boat into a channel marker over Labor Day weekend in 2022. However, the defense argued that the incident was an accident.

“We are grateful to the jurors for their careful consideration of the evidence and for reaching a just verdict,” lead defense attorney Howard Srebnick stated. “From the beginning, we have maintained that the events of September 4, 2022, were a tragic accident, not a crime. The testimony presented at trial—including unrebutted accounts from eyewitnesses who saw no signs of impairment—confirmed that Mr. Pino was not under the influence, was not operating the vessel recklessly, and that he did everything he could to protect his passengers after the accident.”

Despite disappointment with the verdict, Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez-Rundle accepted the jury’s decision. “While everyone in our community and beyond recognizes the tragedy surrounding the Labor Day 2022 boating death of Lucy Fernandez and the permanent disabling of Katy Puig, my prosecutors and I have believed that the totality of George Pino’s actions on the waters of Biscayne Bay were reckless and constituted a crime as defined by Florida’s criminal statutes,” she mentioned.

The tragedy took place on September 4, 2022, when George Pino and his wife hosted a birthday celebration for their daughter on their boat. According to investigators, George Pino was steering the family’s 29-foot boat back to the dock when it struck a channel marker near Boca Chita Key. Pino reported that a large wake from a passing boat had diverted his attention, leading to the collision.

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue units responded to the accident scene, which left everyone aboard in the water. The crash tore a significant hole in the vessel’s side, affecting 11 of the 14 passengers. Six individuals, including Katy Puig, were hospitalized for their injuries. Sadly, Lucy Fernandez succumbed to her injuries, while Katy Puig suffered life-long disabilities.