Overview

• Senator Ileana Garcia introduced SB 58 to increase penalties for boating accidents causing severe injury or death, elevating charges to a third-degree felony punishable by up to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine.
• The bill was inspired by a 2022 boating crash in Biscayne Bay that killed 17-year-old Lucy Fernandez and seriously injured her classmate, Katerina Puig.
• Proposed changes include mandatory boating safety cards, stricter penalties for refusing alcohol breath tests, and aligning boating laws with motor vehicle regulations.
• The Miami Herald's investigation revealed potential mishandling of the crash case, including missed opportunities to test for impairment and overlooked witness accounts.
• George Pino, the boat operator in the crash, now faces felony vessel homicide charges, which carry a potential 15-year prison sentence; he has pleaded not guilty.