The driver in a fatal boat crash that ejected at least six people in the Florida Keys faces charges related to a woman’s death nearly seven months later, according to reporting from local media.
Reinaldo Aquit, 48, of Miami Beach, was charged Friday with vessel homicide and eight other misdemeanors. The misdemeanor charges had not been released as of Monday morning, though jail records show that three are related to public order crimes, such as reckless operation of a vessel, and three are related to health and safety.
Stephanie Rodriguez, 28, of Hialeah, was among the passengers on the boat the day of the crash. She died from her injuries. Rodriguez was “kind, loving, and playful,” according to a GoFundMe page that was started to help provide support to her family in the wake of her death.
At least five other people were ejected from the vessel on the day of the crash.
What Happened?
On Nov. 7, Aquit was driving a 39-foot speedboat from Miami to Key West in the more than three-decade-old Poker Run, a racing event put on by the Florida Powerboat Club. Over 100 other boats were also on the water that day.
Officials with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission told reporters that Aquit was driving carelessly in the Calda Channel and that he was speeding and disregarding navigational rules. When he took a sharp turn in the narrow channel, the speedboat rolled and ejected all who were on board.
In addition to Rodriguez, several others were injured.
Aquit is set to be arraigned on July 3.
Leesfield & Partners
Leesfield & Partners is a 48-year law firm with decades of experience handling devastating water-related accidents. With offices in cities like Miami, Orlando and Key West, our skilled trial attorneys have handled every manner of injury that can occur on the water, including boat crashes, jet ski accidents, snorkeling and scuba incidents, and parasailing accidents. In that time, the firm has secured numerous record verdicts and settlements for injured clients and grieving families throughout the state. Our attorneys approach every case with the dedication, compassion and knowledge of maritime law necessary to obtain the best possible outcome for every client.
In data from the FWC’s annual boating statistics report, Miami-Dade County — where the firm is headquartered — had the most boating accidents in 2024. There were 685 reportable incidents for that year. Of these incidents, the most-common cause was a collision with a fixed object. These accidents resulted in a total of 81 deaths and 394 injuries. At least 65% of boaters involved in all fatal incidents did not have formal boater’s education and alcohol or drug used played a role in approximately 36% of boating fatalities.
A lack of boater’s education and boating under the influence are just two of many issues surrounding boating safety in the state that Ira Leesfield, the firm’s Founder and Managing Partner, has spoken out about in recent years. Others include speeding and reckless boating and a lack of lifejacket usage.
Mr. Leesfield routinely issues safety advisories via the firm’s digital sign — situated outside of the Miami office on the city’s most-used highway — alerting passersby to the dangers on the water. He has previously expressed his support for safety initiatives including Lucy’s Law, which is set to take effect starting July 1. This law, named in honor of Luciana “Lucy” Fernandez, a 17-year-old Our Lady of Lourdes Academy student who died in a tragic 2022 Boca Chita crash, aims to create stricter penalties for boating violations and increase education.
“The dangers from boating incidents are entirely underestimated as South Florida becomes more congested, drinking on the water becomes more prevalent and distractions from cell phones and other devices increases,” Mr. Leesfield said. “Important safety standards must be enforced on all watercrafts.”
Previous Cases
Previously, the firm secured a substantial settlement in a case involving a minor who lost a leg while not being supervised on a vessel.
The firm previously handled the case of a family whose young son was snorkeling when he was hit and killed by a passing boater. The boater in that case was also a minor who should never have been given permission to operate the vessel without supervision. Not only did this minor not stop, but he attempted to cover up evidence and lied to police when questioned.
Neighbors later testified that this minor regularly operated the boat in a reckless manner.
The firm represented the family of a young woman, 20, who tragically died when the vessel she was on crashed into a concrete dock. The firm secured over $1.3 million for the family when it was revealed that the boat operator had been drinking and speeding the night of the crash.
In a jet ski and boat crash, Leesfield & Partners attorneys secured $935,750 for their client.
In a boat case involving a foreign resort, the firm secured an $800,000 recovery for the injured client.
Another boating accident involving a negligent operator resulted in a $500,000 recovery.
In addition to boating accident litigation, Leesfield & Partners have represented the victims of various water-related accidents, including drownings, jet ski crashes, parasailing, and other recreational activities.
The firm represented the widow of a man who drowned while on a boat tour at the Dry Tortugas National Park. The company’s tour guides instructed the man where he should go to snorkel and, within minutes, his body was found unresponsive.
The firm secured a six-figure recovery in that case.
Bernardo Pimentel II, a Leesfield & Partners Trial Attorney, represented the family of a young man and father-to-be who was lobster diving when he was killed by a law enforcement officer who negligently failed to adhere to divers-down flag laws.