A Florida real estate developer on trial for a boat crash that killed a teenage girl broke down uncontrollably in court — forcing the judge to dismiss the jury and berate the defendant.
George Pino, 54, was seen bursting into tears, shaking, and sobbing just over an hour into his murder trial for the death of 17-year-old Luciana “Lucy” Fernandez on Monday, as reported by Local 10 News.
The outburst during opening statements forced Judge Marisa Tinkler Mendez to dismiss the jury for the day.
“Mr. Pino’s going to need to be able to control himself,” the judge said, agreeing with prosecutor Laura Adams, who branded the behavior “inappropriate” for the courtroom.
“It’s not proper at all for the jury to be witnessing the emotional behaviors,” Tinkler Mendez added.
Pino appeared to become emotional almost immediately during Adams’ opening statement, before openly bursting into tears during defense attorney Howard Srebnick’s statement.
He stepped out to compose himself, while Srebnick said he was concerned for his client’s health.
“I don’t think he’s well,” Srebnick said, as reported by the Miami Herald.
Pino was checked out by Miami Fire Rescue crews on hand before the judge agreed to dismiss the jury for the day.
The well-known real estate broker in Doral is facing second-degree manslaughter and vessel homicide charges over his alleged involvement in a 2022 boating crash that killed Fernandez and left Katerina Puig, who was then 18, with permanent and debilitating injuries.
Pino and his wife, Cecilia, were hosting several teen girls for their daughter Carolina’s 18th birthday on their 29-foot boat when they crashed in Biscayne Bay on Sept. 4, 2022.
The father, who was piloting the vessel back to dock, hit a channel marker at around 50 miles per hour after turning around to check on the passengers, Miami-Dade Fire Rescue said.
The force of the crash tore a large hole in the side of the boat and threw all of the passengers into the water.
Eleven people were injured and six were taken to the hospital, where Fernandez later died.
Pino was not tested for sobriety, but when the boat was pulled from the crash the following day, 61 empty alcohol bottles, including a champagne bottle, were found on it, the Miami Herald reported in July 2025.
He is accused of lying to the police about how the crash occurred and of failing to follow proper boating laws.
“In the aftermath of causing Lucy’s death, this defendant avoided accountability by telling the police a fabrication of how this boating crash occurred, and he maintained that falsehood long after the day of this tragedy,” Adams told the judge.
“The evidence in this case, ladies and gentlemen, will show you this was not a mere accident or a momentary lapse in judgment. The evidence will show that Lucy is dead because the defendant failed to do the most basic things that [the] rules of the water require,” she added.
Pino’s attorney said that his client’s wife will testify that he was not drunk and that the incident was a tragic accident.
“The state admits this was not George’s intention for this to happen. He did not intend to crash into a marker. He did not intend for anybody to be hurt,” Srebnick told the judge.
“His own daughter, his own wife, his own body was on that boat. Mrs. Pino will testify [that] George, her husband, was not impaired. She wouldn’t have risked her own life,” he added.
Opening statements were due to resume Tuesday morning.
