Florida developer found not guilty in trial over horror boat crash that killed teenage girl

Millionaire George Pino, 55, was acquitted on manslaughter and vessel homicide charges on Monday evening following eight emotionally charged days of testimony in Miami-Dade County

Verdict brings an end to the criminal case over the September 4, 2022 crash near Boca Chita Key, when Pino’s 29-foot boat smashed into a channel marker

Onboard were his wife, his daughter Carolina Pino, and a group of teenage girls celebrating Carolina’s 18th birthday

Lucy Fernandez, 17, was killed, was Katy Puig, then 18, suffered a traumatic brain injury leading to permanent disabilities

The developer pled not guilty and maintained his innocence, calling the crash an accident

Following testimony by survivors, first responders, medical specialists, boating experts and members of the victims’ families, jury returned not-guilty verdicts

George Pino, 55, has been found not guilty over the horrific boat crash that killed a teenage girl and left another permanently disabled

A millionaire Florida property developer has been found not guilty over the horrific boat crash that killed a teenage girl and left another permanently disabled after a birthday party on Biscayne Bay descended into catastrophe.
George Pino, 55, was acquitted on manslaughter and vessel homicide charges on Monday evening following eight emotionally charged days of testimony in Miami-Dade County.
The verdict brings an end to the criminal case over the September 4, 2022 crash near Boca Chita Key, when Pino’s 29-foot family boat smashed into a channel marker.
Pino, a prominent real estate developer, was at the helm of the 29-foot craft with 14 people on board when he crashed into a channel marker near Boca Chita Key on Sept. 4, 2022. The passengers included his wife, daughter Carolina Pino, and a group of teenage girls celebrating Carolina’s 18th birthday.
The boat capsized and all the passengers, including several teens, were thrown into the water.

Victim: Lucy Fernandez, [photo], 17, died in a boat crash in Florida’s Miami-Dade County on September 4, 2022

Luciana Cristina Fernandez, 17, a senior at Our Lady of Lourdes Academy in Miami, died from drowning from the injuries she sustained in the crash. Katerina Puig, another passenger who was then 18, suffered a traumatic brain injury and has been left with permanent disabilities.
Pino faced a second-degree manslaughter and vessel homicide charges in the crash. He was looking at a sentence of up to 30 years in prison if convicted.

An incident report showed that there were 61 empty alcoholic bottles and cans on the boat, but authorities did not give Pino a sobriety test at the time of the crash. He claimed he had two beers

After hearing testimony of survivors, first responders, medical specialists, boating experts and members of the victims’ families, the six-person jury on Monday, returned not-guilty verdicts.
Pino did not take the stand in his own defense.
In a statement after the verdict, Pino’s lead attorney Howard Srebnick said the developer had maintained from the outset that the crash was a devastating accident rather than a crime.
‘We are grateful to the jurors for their careful consideration of the evidence and for reaching a just verdict,’ Srebnick said.
‘From the beginning, we have maintained that the events of September 4, 2022, were a tragic accident, not a crime.’

George Pino embraced by wife and children after his acquittal on manslaughter charges. The developer Pino pled not guilty and maintained his innocence, calling the crash an accident

‘The testimony presented at trial – including non-rebutted 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.
‘We continue to mourn the loss of Lucy Fernandez every day and to pray for all those affected by this maritime mishap. Our hearts remain with the families of those involved, and we hope today’s verdict allows everyone to continue the long process of healing.’