A Boston man was indicted this week in connection with a May boat crash in Boston Harbor that killed 24-year-old Elizabeth “Lizzie” Dankert of Andover, with prosecutors alleging he was drunk and dancing at the helm in the moments before the collision.
What Happened
Lawrence Shieh, 40, met Dankert and two of her friends at a Seaport bar and offered them a ride on a boat from a nearby marina, according to prosecutors. Shieh allegedly crashed the boat into a pier while intoxicated, killing Dankert.
The Evidence
Prosecutors say Shieh’s blood-alcohol level measured 0.20, more than twice the legal limit in Massachusetts. Cellphone video recovered by investigators allegedly shows Shieh dancing and inattentive at the helm, with both hands off the wheel roughly six seconds before the crash.
The Charges
Shieh has been charged with involuntary manslaughter, operating a boat while intoxicated causing death, two counts of operating a boat while intoxicated causing serious bodily injury, using a boat without authority, and an airport security violation. He has pleaded not guilty, and his attorney has called the case “a tragedy.”
