Crying millionaire on trial for killing girl in boat crash has bold request slapped down by judge - as girl who was on fated vessel DEFENDS him

By WILL POTTER, US SENIOR NEWS REPORTER Published: 22:04, 16 June 2026 | Updated: 22:04, 16 June 2026 A wealthy Florida developer on trial for allegedly killing a teenage girl in a horrific boat crash saw a bold request to have his case thrown out promptly rejected by a judge.  George Pino, 55, attempted to have his manslaughter and vessel homicide charges dismissed on Tuesday after prosecutors rested their case against him.  Pino's attorneys argued the state failed to provide sufficient evidence he acted with criminal recklessness when he crashed his yacht in September 2022, which killed his daughter's friend Lucy Fernandez, 17.  The crash unfolded as they celebrated his daughter's 18th birthday, with the tragedy also permanently disabling their other friend Katy Puig, 17, and injuring several others.  The judge rejected Pino's request to have his trial thrown out on Tuesday, leading his defense to begin to lay out their case by calling several witnesses who were on the boat on the day of the crash.  Claudia Portocarrero, 21, was the first to take the stand in Pino's defense as she told the jury that she did not believe Pino was drunk at the time of the crash, and that he was not speeding excessively.  She described the crash as a 'flash of white', and said she initially thought Pino was dead when she saw 'a lot of blood gushing' as others lay wounded around them.  The issue of Pino's alleged intoxication has been central to the prosecution, with the developer claiming he was not drunk and only drank a small amount of beer through the day.  George Pino, 55, a wealthy Florida developer on trial for killing a teenage girl in a horrific boat crash in September 2022, saw a bold request to have his case thrown out promptly rejected by a judge Claudia Portocarrero, 21, was the first to take the stand in Pino's defense as she broke down in tears while describing the fatal boat crash that killed her friend  Luciana 'Lucy' Fernandez, 17, was tragically killed in the September 2022 boat crash  Pino's defense has insisted that the crash was a tragic accident caused by the father not seeing a channel marker before smashing into it, as they argued he was not driving the boat dangerously or under the influence.  Police did not administer a sobriety test on Pino at the time of the crash, and officers at the scene did not say he exhibited obvious signs of intoxication.  In her testimony, Portocarrero said the boat crash came out of the blue while she and her friends were partying on the developer's 29-foot yacht. Investigators would later find at least 61 empty alcoholic beverages on the boat, drank by Pino's daughter and her friends.  'I just remember opening my eyes after the impact and seeing like a lot of white,' Portocarrero said, recalling the seconds after the fatal crash.  'And the first thing I saw when I opened my eyes was George, and I thought he was dead. I just saw a lot of blood gushing and then my friends were telling me that I had to get out of the boat. 'By the time I was going to get off the boat it was kind of almost like turned, flipped, so instead of jumping from the boat, I practically stepped into the water because of how tilted it was.'  Portocarrero said she and her friends were drinking on the boat, but she did not recall Pino having any alcohol or speeding excessively.  Pino's defense also called Palm Beach Police Department Lt. Paul Aber to the stand, who said Pino's boat accelerated to 47mph on the water shortly before the crash, but there was no posted speed limit for that area.  He had previously been called as a witness by prosecutors, where Aber said Pino was piloting his yacht on the wrong side of the Cutter Bank channel when he hit a steel channel marker, and noted there was clear visibility that day. Pino, a well known developer in Doral, Florida at the time of the crash, appeared overcome with emotion throughout his trial as he faces up to 30 years in prison on charges of manslaughter and vessel homicide  Witness Claudia Portocarrero, 21, was called by Pino's defense on Tuesday, where she told the jury that she did not believe Pino was drunk at the time of the crash, and that he was not speeding excessively  Pino was driving this 29-foot Robalo boat when he crashed into a steel channel marker, which threw everyone on board into the water  Prosecutors showed evidence of the boat damage  Lucy Fernandez, left, died in the crash, while Katerina Puig survived but was left with severe, lifelong disabilities Pino's attorneys recalled Aber to the stand in an attempt to undercut these claims, as the law enforcement officer conceded that alongside there being no speed limit on that section of the water, passengers were also not legally required to wear life jackets.  Aber said Pino had 14 young girls on the front of his yacht which would have added roughly 1,000lbs to the bow, which he said would have significantly impacted Pino's ability to steer.  The defense then called up Pino's wife Cecilia to the stand, after she previously showed her support for her husband earlier in the trial by hugging him in front of the jury in an emotional display.  In her testimony on Tuesday, Cecilia said she did not see her husband drinking on the boat, and said she would not have let him drive her or the girls if she believed he was impaired.  Pino's trial began on June 8, and it has been marked by a number of emotional outbursts and dramatic moments, beginning with Pino causing his own proceedings to be halted by a breakdown during opening statements.  The real estate developer was seen in courtroom footage that went viral on social media breaking down in tears and wailing as his trial got underway, causing the judge to dismiss the jury for the day and ordering Pino to control himself.  But the very next day, Pino was again seen having an emotional breakdown in court, as he had to be comforted by his attorney Howard Srebnick. At the start of Pino's trial during opening statements, proceedings were halted by the judge and the jury was dismissed for the day when he suffered an emotional breakdown  Pino was a well known real estate developer in the Doral, Florida area at the time of the crash Pino was operating a 29-foot Robalo when he hit a channel marker, while speeding at around 50 miles per hour, near Boca Chita Key Pino's second emotional moment came as Fernandez's father Andres took the stand, and explained that he had known Pino for years and their daughters had grown up together. Attendees in the courtroom were seen crying during Fernandez's testimony as he said he raced to the scene after hearing of the boat crash, and searched for hours before eventually finding his daughter's body in the water. In Andres Fernandez's testimony, he said he and his wife waited for hours to eventually find their daughter in hospital, and recalled a harrowing conversation with police in her final moments. He said he tried to remove a piece of fiberglass from the boat from her head, but was stopped by an officer because that was part of the evidence in the case. Andres said he then turned to his wife and said, 'Our daughter is now evidence.' The father grew emotional at times during his testimony, as supporters in the audience were seen also weeping as he spoke of his daughter. During Tuesday's proceedings, Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Marisa Tinkler Mendez also condemned Pino's family and friends for comforting the defendant while he struggled through the testimony. She said it was inappropriate for them to hug Pino during sidebars, and told them, 'This is not a sports bar or social event.' Pino's trial is expected to finish by the end of the week. If convicted, he faces up to 30 years in prison.  No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. 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