Prominent Miami real estate broker charged with manslaughter in fatal 2022 boating accident after witness comes forward – WSVN 7News | Miami news, weather, sports

MIAMI (WSVN) – Prosecutors filed charges Thursday George Pinoa prominent figure in the Miami real estate industry who committed felony murder after a witness came forward following the death of a 17-year-old girl in a boating accident on Labor Day 2022.

Pino was at the helm of his 29-foot Robalo boat when he ran into a channel marker near Boca Chita. The impact threw Pino, his wife and 12 teenage girls into the water.

He was previously charged with three misdemeanor counts of careless boating, but those were dropped after prosecutors filed a new charge of vehicular manslaughter.

According to the Miami Herald, Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Firefighter Matthew Smiley, who was at the scene, told prosecutors that Pino had signs of intoxication. Smiley said he approached Pinault in the bay shortly after the crash.

In a Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission report, Pinault said he crashed into a concrete channel sign that day because the wake of a larger boat caused him to lose control of his boat. The report goes on to say that Pino refused a field sobriety test because his attorney was not present.

The Miami Herald said the FWC’s lead investigator failed to mention that Pinault actually admitted he had been drinking that day.

According to the State Attorney’s Office, the FWC report previously prevented them from pursuing more serious charges, but when Smiley came forward, they were able to obtain GPS data from Pinault’s boat that they said contradicted his version of what happened in the canal.

GPS data showed that his vessel was heading straight for the marker.

As a result of the accident, 17-year-old Lucy Fernandez was killed and 18-year-old Katie Puig remained permanently disabled. Both girls attended Our Lady of Lourdes Academy in southwest Miami-Dade.

If convicted of the new felony charge, Pinault faces up to 15 years in prison.