Real estate mogul George Pino charged in deadly 2022 Labor Day weekend Biscayne Bay boat crash surrenders to jail
MIAMI — George Pino, the prominent real estate broker involved in the deadly 2022 Biscayne Bay boat crash that killed a teenage girl and severely injured another, is now in police custody.
Pino appeared in court for a hearing on Thursday morning, where he surrendered himself to the authorities. He is currently facing a felony vessel homicide charge for his involvement in the boat crash that killed 17-year-old Lucy Fernandez two years ago during Labor Day weekend.
Sofia Castellanos, Pino's niece, provided the family's statement to CBS News Miami in response to the surrender, saying in part:
"From that moment, we have been racked by despair and grief and living a nightmare we could never have imagined. Worse than this though, is knowing that our anguish does not compare to the pain and suffering experienced by the impacted families; something we would not have wished on anyone, let alone our closest friends and family.
If we could give up our lives to bring Lucy back or change what happened that day, we would do so in an instant. Sadly, we cannot. We pray every day for the Fernandez and Puig families and have committed our life savings and taken on substantial debt to help support them.
As my father now confronts the serious criminal charges which have been filed, we can only hope that the State Attorney, and the community we love so much, will seek to understand all the facts surrounding this tragic accident."
Last year, Pino was charged with three misdemeanors: one count of second-degree careless operation of a vessel and two counts of careless operation of a vessel causing serious bodily injury. Those charges were dropped on Oct. 31 in favor of the felony charge, which has a minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum of 30 years in prison.
After his court appearance, officers from the Miami-Dade Department of Corrections took him to the back and transported him to Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center. He does not have to pay any bond and will be able to walk out of TGK after he is formally processed.
The crash
On Sept. 4, 2022, George and Cecilia Pino were hosting several teen girls for their daughter's birthday party. All of the girls on the boat were lifelong friends and students at Carrolton School of the Sacred Heart and Our Lady of Lourdes Academy. One of the girls in the group was Fernandez.
Investigators said Pino was piloting his 29-foot vessel back to the dock when it a channel marker near Boca Chita Key. Pino allegedly said another boat came by creating a big wake and when he turned to check and make sure all of the girls were okay, he hit the marker, Miami-Dade Fire Rescue said.
The boat crash knocked everyone out of the boat and tore a large hole in the side of the vessel, injuring 11 of the 14 passengers. Six of them were taken to the hospital, where Fernandez would later die. Another classmate, Katy Puig, suffered a traumatic brain injury.
"I think it's a day that's going to last lead to closure for all the families who are involved, who've suffered," said Joel Denaro, the Fernandez family's attorney.
In announcing the misdemeanor charges last year, Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle's Office said they were filed after an "extensive marine investigation" conducted by Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission law enforcement officers (who) meticulously reviewed every aspect of the incident."
According to the Miami Herald, three eyewitnesses they interviewed weren't contacted by either the State Attorney's Office or the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC).
Denaro said the felony charge came after more witnesses came forward, giving the state a stronger case.
Also, Pino was never administered a sobriety test. The FWC maintained it didn't have probable cause to perform the test because Pino acknowledged to investigators he had "two beers" and didn't seem impaired at the scene, according to the Miami Herald.
When the boat was pulled from the water the day after the crash, 61 empty alcohol bottles, including an empty bottle of champagne, were found on it, according to the Miami Herald.
"There's no question that alcohol was a factor," Denaro said. "And with the discovery of the new witness, it became clear that this was a factor that contributed to the accident."
In a statement provided to CBS News Miami, Pino's attorney Howard Srebnick said "I am dismayed by the State's surprise decision to file this new charge more than two years later."
"Officers on the scene of the crash determined that Pino was not intoxicated; Pino did not exceed any posted speed limit, Pino had the required number of Coast Guard-approved life preservers on board the vessel, and despite sustaining a head injury himself (requiring fifteen stitches), Pino made heroic efforts to rescue the injured passengers, including diving under the capsized boat," he continued. "This was an accident, not a crime, much less a felony."
In March of last year, the parents of Katerina Puig filed a lawsuit against the Pinos. The suit claims the Pinos allowed the teens to drink alcohol during the outing and that George Pino had also been drinking before the crash.