Two people are facing charges in connection with the death of a teen who was struck and killed by a boat while wakeboarding in Biscayne Bay last year, officials said.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission announced the charges Tuesday in the May 11, 2024 death of 15-year-old Ella Riley Adler.
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WATCH HEREAdler was wakeboarding while being towed about a mile west of Mashta Point at Key Biscayne when she fell into the water and was struck by another vessel, FWC officials said.
The operator of the boat that struck her, 79-year-old Carlos Guillermo Alonso, is facing two misdemeanor charges of careless operation of a vessel, the FWC said.
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Edmund Richard Hartley, 31, the operator of the boat that was towing Adler, faces four misdemeanor counts of careless operation of a vessel, FWC officials said.
"The FWC extends its deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Ella Adler. Our thoughts remain with them as they continue to cope with this unimaginable loss," the agency said in a statement.
Adler was a student at Ransom Everglades High School and an accomplished ballet performer who'd appeared in over 100 performances with the Miami City Ballet at the Adrienne Arsht Center.
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"We are deeply grateful to the State Attorney’s Office and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission for their diligence, professionalism, and commitment throughout this unimaginable process," the Adlers said through a statement from their attorney. "Their efforts have brought a measure of accountability and clarity during the most painful time in our lives."
The family said they established a foundation in the teen's name.
"Through the newly established Ella Riley Adler Foundation, we are committed to advancing causes that reflect her passions and values, including Jewish community and continuity, education, and the arts, especially dance," their statement said.
The lawyer for Alonso, who goes by Bill, said in a statement that they were surprised about the charges and are seeking the reason why.
"What happened last year was an absolute tragedy. But it was not Bill’s fault. Bill is an experienced and cautious boater and that is how he acted that day. FWC explicitly told us that they did not find Bill’s actions caused the accident," Lauren Field Krasnoff said. "Because of that, we were very surprised to learn about the citations. We understand that FWC is under a lot of pressure from recent events. But now, after telling us that Bill was not to blame, we will need to get to the bottom of this charging decision a year later."
