Boat crash victim’s family dismayed after driver George Pino found not guilty

George Pino attends his trial in Miami on 12 June. Photograph: Matias J Ocner/TNS/ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock View image in fullscreen George Pino attends his trial in Miami on 12 June. Photograph: Matias J Ocner/TNS/ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock Boat crash victim’s family dismayed after driver George Pino found not guilty Prominent Florida real estate broker found not guilty by Miami jury of manslaughter and felony vessel homicide The family of a teenager left with a permanent disability from a birthday party boat crash that killed another girl has reacted with dismay at the acquittal of the prominent Florida real estate broker helming the vessel. George Pino was found not guilty by a Miami jury on Monday evening of manslaughter and felony vessel homicide after the 4 September 2022 boat wreck during a celebration that he and his wife, Cecilia, were hosting for their daughter’s 18th birthday, with 11 of her friends as guests. Luciana Fernandez, 17, was killed when she was thrown from the boat after it collided with a steel channel marker in Biscayne Bay. Katerina Puig, now 21, received severe head injuries that left her permanently disabled. Investigators found 61 empty bottles and cans of alcohol on board after the damaged, capsized boat was retrieved. But Pino, who denied that he was impaired or had been speeding, was never subjected to a breath test. Puig’s family, in a statement after the verdict reported by the Miami Herald , criticized what they said was a flawed investigation into the crash – which ended with all 14 passengers onboard the 29ft vessel in the water. “While we respect our system of justice and the role of the jury, we profoundly disagree with the verdict,” her parents, Kathya and Rodolpho Puig, said. “Based on the evidence presented, we believe George Pino should have been held accountable for the reckless operation of his vessel. “We are deeply disappointed by today’s verdict, and our hearts hurt for the families who continue to live every day with the unimaginable loss of Lucy. For nearly four years, our family has lived with the consequences of that tragic day. “We see Katy’s injuries every day. We see the challenges she continues to face, the strength she demonstrates in overcoming them, and the impact this tragedy has had on her life and the lives of those who love her. No verdict can change those realities.” Pino broke down in tears and hugged friends and relatives after his acquittal by a jury of five men and one woman at the conclusion of a two-week trial. His lawyer, Howard Srebnick, said in a statement that the verdict was the right one. “From the beginning, we have maintained that the events of September 4 2022 were a tragic accident, not a crime,” he said. “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 pas