Millionaire Florida developer found NOT GUILTY in trial over horror boat crashed that killed teenage girl

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 while carrying his wife, daughter and a group of teenage girls celebrating Carolina Pino’s 18th birthday.

Lucy Fernandez, 17, was killed. Her friend Katy Puig, then also 17, suffered a traumatic brain injury and has been left with permanent disabilities.

But after hearing from survivors, first responders, medical specialists, boating experts and members of the victims’ families, the six-person jury 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.’

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