P
rosecutors have charged Miami real estate broker George Pino with manslaughter in connection with a 2022 Labor Day boat crash that killed a 17-year-old girl and injured several others. The new charge, filed Thursday, alleges Pino acted with "culpable negligence" that led to the death of Luciana "Lucy" Fernandez, a senior at Our Lady of Lourdes Academy. This is in addition to the existing vessel homicide charge, which also carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison.

    The crash on September 4, 2022, left Fernandez fatally injured and severely harmed her classmate Katerina "Katy" Puig, who remains in a wheelchair and continues to work on regaining basic motor skills. Testimony from several teenage girls who were on the boat prompted prosecutors to add the new charge.

    Pino's boat was carrying 14 people, including his wife and 12 teenage girls celebrating his daughter's birthday. Three girls were pulled from the water unconscious, including Fernandez, Puig, and Isabella Rodriguez, who suffered a brain bleed but recovered.

    Pino is scheduled to appear in court on August 15. His attorney, Howard Srebnick, has stated that the new charge is "duplicative" of existing allegations and does not bring clarity or justice, but rather fuels a false narrative that ignores the facts.