US News
Boston man indicted for manslaughter after fatal harbor boat crash
Prosecutors allege Lawrence Shieh was heavily intoxicated, dancing, and had his hands off the wheel before crashing a boat into a pier, killing a 24-year-old passenger.
The short version
- A Suffolk County grand jury indicted 40-year-old Lawrence Shieh on charges including involuntary manslaughter and boat OUI causing death.
- Prosecutors allege Shieh was operating an unauthorized boat at 36 mph without exterior lighting and with a blood-alcohol level of .20 when he struck a pier.
- The May 13 crash killed 24-year-old Elizabeth Dankert, a former college soccer player, and injured two other passengers.
- Shieh was released on a $25,000 cash bail with strict conditions and is scheduled to return to court on October 8.
Key facts
- Lawrence Shieh was indicted on charges of involuntary manslaughter, boat OUI causing death, boat OUI causing serious bodily injury, using a boat without authority, and a Logan Airport security zone violation.[Fox News]
- The May 13 crash in Boston Harbor killed Elizabeth Dankert, 24, and injured two of her friends.[Fox News]
- Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden stated that blood tests after the crash showed Shieh's blood-alcohol level was .20, more than twice the state's legal limit.[Fox News]
- Cellphone footage, including video from Dankert's phone, showed Shieh dancing and taking both hands off the wheel about six seconds before hitting Logan Airport's Pier 4R.[Fox News]
- The boat navigation system recorded that the vessel was traveling at 36 mph at the time of the crash, and prosecutors noted the boat lacked exterior lighting and was taken without authorization.[Fox News]
- Shieh's attorney stated that his client has no criminal record and has been diligently attending appointments since the incident.[Fox News]
What remains uncertain
- The final resolution of the criminal charges remains to be determined as the case proceeds to a pre-trial conference.[Fox News]