Latest news with #ReinaldoAquit
Miami Herald
5 hours ago
- Miami Herald
Speed boat driver charged in Florida Keys crash that killed a Hialeah woman: FWC
Months after a Hialeah woman was killed when a speedboat crash ejected six people, a Miami Beach man captaining the craft was charged Friday with her death, authorities say. Reinaldo Aquit, 48, was piloting the 39-foot speedboat on Nov. 7 from Miami to Key West in a 120-boat 'poker run' event to celebrate the Race World Offshore World Championship, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said. MORE: Boat crash in Florida Keys kills Hialeah woman and injures several others, FWC says In the Calda Channel, north of Key West, the agency said Aquit was driving carelessly, speeding and 'disregarding navigational rules. The channel is narrow, and when Aquit took a sharp turn, the speedboat rolled, ejecting six people who were on board. Stephanie Rodriguez, 28, died, and several others were injured. On Friday, Aquit was arrested and charged with vessel homicide and eight misdemeanors. It's unclear what the other charges are. The Miami Herald has requested his arrest warrant. 'The tragic death of this young woman was completely avoidable,' Maj. Alberto Maza, FWC South Bravo Regional Commander, said in a statement. 'We continue to think of Ms. Rodriguez's friends and family as they grieve her loss.'
Daily Mail
9 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Speed boat driver is arrested after glamorous Miami woman, 28, was killed after he crashed
A speedboat driver was arrested months after a glamorous woman was ejected from his boat and died in Florida. Reinaldo Aquit, 48, of Miami Beach, was arrested on Friday for the death of Stephanie Rodriguez, 28, of Hialeah, who died in November after being ejected from his 39-foot boat following a sharp turn. Aquit was operating the boat recklessly and took a sharp turn, causing the boat to roll over, ejecting six of the passengers on his voyage between Miami and Key West. Rodriguez was the only passenger to die in the incident. The others were collected by a Good Samaritan who stopped to help. They were taken to the hospital. 'The tragic death of this young woman was completely avoidable,' Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) Major Alberto Maza told NBC Miami in a statement. 'We continue to think of Ms. Rodriguez's friends and family as they grieve her loss.' Aquit was booked into the Monroe County Sheriff's Office jail and was charged with felony vessel homicide, and eight misdemeanors. He is being held on a $500,000 bond. Rodriguez was the youngest of four and had three older brothers. Her brothers remember her as being a giving person, who loved to travel and was full of life. 'She lit up any room she went into,' her brother, Ricky Rodriguez, emotionally told NBC Miami. 'My sister was special, she was special.' Her relative Jorge Perez said she often 'gave me a lot of advice,' despite being 'a lot younger than me,' he told the outlet. 'We're just relying on God to get us through this,' he said in November. The family started a GoFundMe for her funeral and other expenses. It has garnered more than $40,000. Rodriguez was the youngest of four and had three older brothers. Her brothers remember her as being a giving person, who loved to travel and was full of life 'Stephanie was a kind, loving, and playful person whose warmth touched everyone she met. To know her was to love her,' the fundraiser said. 'Her sudden departure has left her family and friends heartbroken and struggling to comprehend this immense loss.'
CBS News
a day ago
- CBS News
Miami Beach man arrested in fatal November 2024 boat crash that killed Hialeah woman, authorities say
Woman dead, five others ejected from boat in race in Florida Keys Woman dead, five others ejected from boat in race in Florida Keys Woman dead, five others ejected from boat in race in Florida Keys A Miami Beach man is facing a homicide charge related to a fatal November 2024 boat crash in the Florida Keys, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. The charges against Reinaldo Aquit, 48, stem from a November 7 incident in which Aquit, operating a 39-foot speedboat with seven passengers during a Poker Run event from Miami to Key West, caused the death of Stephanie Rodriguez, a 28-year-old Hialeah woman, officials said. The FWC said Aquit was driving recklessly at high speeds and ignoring navigational rules in the narrow Calda Channel north of Key West, where he made a sharp turn, causing the boat to roll and eject six passengers. Rodriguez died from injuries sustained in the crash. "The tragic death of this young woman was completely avoidable," said Major Alberto Maza, South Bravo Regional Commander. "We continue to think of Ms. Rodriguez's friends and family as they grieve her loss." Aquit is also facing several misdemeanor charges related to this incident, officials said.
