A day after George Pino was acquitted after being charged in the 2022 fatal boat crash near Boca Chita Key, the families of a 17-year-old girl who was killed and another girl who was injured are speaking out.
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Pino, 55, was charged with second-degree manslaughter and vessel homicide for the crash that claimed the life of Lucy Fernandez and left another teen, Katy Puig, with permanent injuries.
During the 10th day of his trial, a jury composed of five men and one woman found Pino not guilty on both charges.
Fernandez’s parents told NBC6 on Tuesday that they didn’t agree with the verdict, but that the focus should be on their daughter. They are also going to continue to try to make boating safer in Florida
They also said that “Regardless of the outcome, we hope no one walks away believing that the circumstances that led to Lucy’s death were acceptable.”
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A statement by the family continued, “This tragedy serves as a powerful reminder that no family should have to bury a child because of someone’s thoughtless and irresponsible choices. Lucy’s life mattered. It will go on mattering long after this verdict is forgotten.”
Puig’s family told NBC6 that they were disappointed in the verdict, adding that the case had a lot of investigative failures, and they believed Pino should have been convicted.
Pino always maintained the crash was an accident.
“Tragic thing happened, lives were lost, lives were changed,” said Howard Strebnick, a defense attorney. “George Pino has always been held accountable for that. Today, he won’t be branded a criminal for what we all know was an accident.”
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