A Miami Beach man, Reinaldo Aquit, 48, has been arrested on charges tied to a boat crash that occurred last year which claimed the life of a Hialeah woman, authority officials reported. NBC Miami states that Aquit was apprehended yesterday and is facing a felony charge of vessel homicide, in addition to eight misdemeanors in relation to the deadly incident that happened on November 7, 2024.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) claims Aquit was piloting the 39-foot speed boat with seven passengers from Miami to Key West as part of a Poker Run event, during which he was allegedly driving carelessly and speeding, ignoring navigational rules eventually leading to the crash; one that ended in tragedy when the boat overturned as it hurtled through the Calda Channel after Aquit executed a sharp turn, ejecting six passengers, and Stephanie Rodriguez, 28, from Hialeah, did not survive the injuries she sustained. “The tragic death of this young woman was completely avoidable," FWC Maj. Alberto Maza told NBC Miami.
Described as vivacious and generous by her family, with a charm that brightened every space she entered, Stephanie Rodriguez is mourned deeply by those who knew her. "She lit up any room she went into," her brother Ricky Rodriguez recalled in a statement obtained by NBC Miami. "My sister was special, she was special."
Additional charges Aquit is facing as disclosed by Local 10 include homicide negligence manslaughter, five counts of public order crimes, and three counts of health safety, the arrest occurred around 3:30 p.m. in Plantation Key and after being booked at the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office jail, his bond is set at $500,000 with his arraignment scheduled for July 3. On a more personal note, a GoFundMe to support the Rodriguez family remembers Stephanie as "a kind, loving, and playful person whose warmth touched everyone she met. To know her was to love her," Mia Perez memorialized.
