Prominent businessman learns fate in boat crash case that killed teen, maimed another

Miami existent property developer George Pino was recovered not blameworthy successful transportation with a vessel clang disconnected Boca Chita Key successful Biscayne Bay successful September 2022 that killed 1 teen and near different with imperishable disabilities.

The verdict was handed down connected Monday acquitting Pino, 55, who was charged with second-degree manslaughter and vas homicide for the clang that killed 17-year-old Lucy Fernandez and near different teen, Katy Puig, present 21, with life-changing injuries, according to NBC 6.

The verdict comes aft an affectional 8 days of grounds successful South Florida.

During closing arguments, prosecutors argued that Pino was reckless erstwhile helium crashed his vessel into a transmission marker during Labor Day play successful 2022, portion the defence maintained that the collision was an accident.

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George Pino was recovered not blameworthy of manslaughter oregon vas homicide successful transportation with a deadly 2022 vessel crash. (Carl Juste/Miami Herald/Tribune News Service)

"We are grateful to the jurors for their cautious information of the grounds and for reaching a conscionable verdict," pb defence lawyer Howard Srebnick said successful a connection aft the verdict, according to the outlet. "From the beginning, we person maintained that the events of September 4, 2022, were a tragic accident, not a crime. The grounds presented astatine trial—including unrebutted accounts from eyewitnesses who saw nary signs of impairment—confirmed that Mr. Pino was not nether the influence, was not operating the vas recklessly, and that helium did everything helium could to support his passengers aft the accident."

Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez-Rundle, who prosecuted the case, said she was disappointed with the verdict but accepts the jury's decision.

"While everyone successful our assemblage and beyond recognizes the calamity surrounding the Labor Day 2022 boating decease of Lucy Fernandez and the imperishable disabling of Katy Puig, my prosecutors and I person believed that the totality of George Pino's actions connected the waters of Biscayne Bay were reckless and constituted a transgression arsenic defined by Florida's transgression statutes," she said successful a statement.

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George Pino's vessel crashed into a transmission marker connected Sept. 4, 2022. (FWC report)

"Sadly, I cognize that this verdict brings nary comfortableness to the Fernandez and Puig families who everlastingly indispensable unrecorded with the calamity of what happened. In a lawsuit similar this, determination are nary winners oregon losers," she added. "Mr. Pino indispensable unrecorded with what helium did, portion the Fernandez and Puig families volition grapple with the consequences of his actions."

On Sept. 4, 2022, Pino and his woman hosted a day solemnisation for their girl connected their boat.

Investigators said Pino was operating the family's 29-foot vessel arsenic it returned to the dock erstwhile it deed a transmission marker adjacent Boca Chita Key. Pino told investigators that different vessel had passed by and created a ample wake. He said helium turned to cheque connected the teenagers aft the wake, which caused him to collide with the marker.

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue agents respond to a vessel clang adjacent Boca Chita Key, Florida, that killed 1 idiosyncratic connected Sept. 4, 2022. (Miami-Dade Fire Rescue/AP)

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The interaction of the clang caused everyone connected committee to autumn overboard and into the water. The clang besides resulted successful a ample spread successful the broadside of the vessel.

Eleven of the 14 passengers were injured, including six who were transported to a hospital. Fernandez aboriginal died from her injuries and Puig suffered a traumatic encephalon wounded that near her with a beingness of disabilities.