A Miami jury on Monday evening acquitted George Pino, a prominent Florida real estate broker, of manslaughter and felony vessel homicide charges stemming from a September 2022 boat crash in Biscayne Bay that killed a 17-year-old girl and left another teenager with severe, permanent injuries.
The verdict, delivered by a jury of five men and one woman after a two-week trial, drew immediate expressions of dismay from the family of the injured survivor. Pino, 55, broke down in tears and embraced friends and relatives in the courtroom after the acquittal.
The crash occurred on Sept. 4, 2022, during a birthday celebration Pino and his wife, Cecilia, were hosting for their daughter’s 18th birthday. Eleven of her friends were aboard the 29-foot vessel as guests. The boat collided with a steel channel marker in Biscayne Bay, throwing all 14 passengers into the water.
Luciana Fernandez, 17, was killed in the crash. Katerina Puig, now 21, suffered severe head injuries that left her permanently disabled. Puig, described as a talented soccer player, testified during the trial alongside several other friends of Fernandez and Puig. All four admitted they had been drinking while underage and were feeling “buzzed,” according to testimony.
After the damaged, capsized boat was retrieved, investigators found 61 empty bottles and cans of alcohol on board. Pino told investigators he had drunk only two beers and was sober. He was never subjected to a breath test.
Pino was originally charged with three misdemeanor counts of careless boating. Those charges were later upgraded to felony counts after new evidence emerged, carrying a potential 15-year prison sentence.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, whose employees conducted the investigation, changed several policies after facing criticism over its handling of the case. The criticism included the failure to test Pino for sobriety and the deletion of officer-worn bodycam footage of the crash’s aftermath.
Pino’s attorney, Howard Srebnick, said in a statement that the verdict was the correct outcome. “From the beginning, we have maintained that the events of September 4, 2022, were a tragic accident, not a crime,” Srebnick 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 passengers after the accident.”
The parents of Katerina Puig, Kathya and Rodolpho Puig, released a statement through the Miami Herald expressing their disappointment. “While we respect our system of justice and the role of the jury, we profoundly disagree with the verdict,” they 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,” the statement continued. “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.”
Civil lawsuits filed by the Puig family resulted in a $16 million settlement with Cecilia Pino to cover their daughter’s ongoing medical care, and a separate, undisclosed settlement with George Pino.
Miami-Dade County State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle said in a statement that she sympathized with everyone affected by the case. “Sadly, I know that this verdict brings no comfort to the Fernandez and Puig families who forever must live with the tragedy of what happened,” she said. “In a case like this, there are no winners or losers. Mr. Pino must live with what he did, while the Fernandez and Puig families will grapple with the consequences of his actions.”