A Miramar man is facing serious charges, nearly six months after a passenger was killed falling off a boat into Biscayne Bay, while he was allegedly driving under the influence. Eric Rodriguez, 24, was arrested yesterday and stands accused of manslaughter while boating under the influence and vessel homicide/operating in a reckless manner, following the tragic death of Justin Sosa, who had been a passenger on his boat.
On the night of Sept. 23, 2023, Rodriguez was reportedly at the helm of his 26-foot Sea Hunt boat, careening through Biscayne Bay at speeds reaching 46 mph in a 30 mph zone, according to Local10.com. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) officers said that the boat had departed Miami Marine Stadium, navigating in and out of the channel when the accident occurred. As they passed the 79th Street Causeway, Sosa reportedly moved to the starboard side just before Rodriguez struck a channel marker in the water. Sosa was thrown from the boat, striking his head, and did not survive.
Rodriguez only halted the vessel when other passengers realized Sosa was missing and alerted him. After a search by the group and a 911 call by one of the passengers, rescue divers later found Sosa's body a few hours later, at the bottom of the bay near Channel Marker #20.
Post-crash investigations revealed that Rodriguez's blood-alcohol level was .079, just under the Florida legal limit of .08, six hours after the incident, as detailed by NBC Miami. The officers at the scene noted Rodriguez smelled of an alcoholic beverage, and witnesses aboard the boat confirmed he had been consuming vodka at Miami Marine Stadium. An autopsy confirmed that Sosa died from blunt force injuries.
The FWC arrest report pointed out multiple safety oversights, including the lack of a spotlight on the boat and absence of a lookout at the front of the vessel. "The direction in which he was traveling meant that the lights on shore would have made it even more difficult for him to see objects in the water while operating the vessel at a such a high rate of speed through the darkness," the report said. Further emphasizing the peril, "The defendant was operating his vessel that night with a willful and wanton disregard for the safety of his passengers and for others in the water, and while he was impaired by alcohol."
Rodriguez's bond has been set at $55,000, and the court has ordered that he abstain from alcohol. As the legal proceedings take their course, the events of that rainy September evening continue to weigh heavy on the hearts of all involved, particularly the loved ones of Justin Sosa, whose life was cut short on Biscayne Bay.
