Prominent Miami real estate broker charged with felony homicide in 2022 deadly boating crash after witness comes forward – WSVN 7News | Miami News, Weather, Sports

MIAMI (WSVN) – Prosecutors on Thursday charged George Pino, a prominent figure in Miami’s real estate industry, with felony homicide after a witness came forward following the death of a 17-year-old girl during a boating crash on Labor Day in 2022.

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

He was previously charged with three careless boating charges, which were misdemeanors, but they were dropped after prosecutors sought out the new vessel homicide charge.

According to the Miami Herald, Miami-Dade Fire Rescue firefighter Matthew Smiley, who was at the scene, told prosecutors that Pino showed signs of being intoxicated. Smiley said he approached Pino in the bay shortly after the crash.

Officer bodycam captured the moment Pino was offered to take a sobriety test.

“I’d like to ask permission to draw your blood. It’s up to you completely,” said an officer.

“No I had two beers,” Pino responded.

“And it’s not illegal to boat and drive,” the officer said.

In a report by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Pino said he smashed into a concrete channel marker that day because the wake from a larger boat caused him to lose control of his boat. The report went on to state that Pino declined a sobriety test because his attorney was not present.

The Miami Herald said that the FWC’s lead investigator did not mention that Pino did acknowledge that he was drinking that day.

The day after the crash, 61 empty bottles of alcohol were found on the boat.

“A man came forward from Fire Rescue, who was a critical witness, and believed that alcohol was a factor,” said Joel Denaro, the victim’s family attorney.

The family’s attorney said the family is slowly getting justice for their loved ones.

“Complete closure; not yet, but we’re on our way,” said Denaro. “Normally in criminal cases, they don’t get better with time. This, we believe, is the exception to that because, with the passage of time, more witnesses began to come forward who had information which proved that this was a reckless act rather than a careless act.”

Additionally, according to the State Attorney’s Office, previously, the FWC report hindered them from pursuing more serious charges, but with Smiley coming forward, they were able to obtain GPS data from Pino’s boat, which they said contradicted his version of what happened in the channel.

The GPS data showed that his vessel was going straight toward the marker and that it was alone on the water at the time of the crash.

As a result of the crash, 17-year-old Lucy Fernandez was killed and 18-year-old Katy Puig was left permanently disabled. Both girls were seniors at Our Lady of Lourdes Academy in Southwest Miami-Dade.

Pino’s lawyers did not immediately respond to 7News’ request for comment.

If found guilty on the new felony charge, Pino faces up to 15 years in prison.

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