On Monday June 22, George Pino, a prominent real estate developer, accused in the death of one teen and the serious injury to another when he crashed his 29-foot speedboat into a buoy on Maiami’s Biscayne Bay was found not guilty.
Prosecutors had accused Pino, 55, of vessel homicide and second-degree manslaughter in the death of Lucy Fernansez due to the crash. A second victim, Katy Puig, was left with permanent disabilities from the accident.
Prosecutors had claimed that Pino had been operating the speedboat recklessly and was therefore responsible for the death and serious injuries. The jury came to the conclusion that accident was just that, an accident.
The accident occurred on September 4, 2022 when Pino and his wife were hosting a birthday party for their daughter. There were 14 guests aboard the 29-foot boat that day and 11 were injured in the accident.
Pino had testified that as they approached the channel markers leading tot their marina, a larger boat sped by creating a big wake. Pino said he turned to make sure the guests were okay and that distraction led to the crash. All onboard were thrown into the water.
“We are grateful to the jurors for their careful consideration of the evidence and for reaching a just 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, not a crime.
Read more here.
