The attorney representing the company that owns the barge and towing vessel involved in a July collision that killed three children said he doesn’t understand why the U.S. Coast Guard wants the Justice Department to prosecute his client.
“There was no negligence of any part or any intent on anybody’s part,” said attorney Lorenzo Palomares-Starbuck, who represents Waterfront construction.
The Coast Guard said the towing vessel involved in the crash was uninspected. But Palomares-Starbuck said that has no bearing on the cause of the collision.
“None of that had to do with seaworthiness. It had all to do with employee safety, fire extinguishers, shutoff valve on the fuel. None of that became an element in this accident,” he said.
Palomares-Starbuck argued that the barge had the right of way and said the captain of the sailboat should be charged. He claimed the sailboat was overloaded, carrying six people despite a four-person or 800-pound limit.
“She had the life of those people on her boat. And it was her duty to keep those people safe,” he said.
The crash killed three young girls. The sailboat was part of a summer camp run by the Miami Yacht Club.
CBS News Miami reached out to Justin Shapiro, an attorney representing a survivor and one of the victims. While he did not respond to the latest inquiry, he issued a statement on Thursday.
“On behalf of our clients, I want to thank the U.S. Coast Guard for their tireless work in this investigation and their commitment to safety and accountability on the water. This referral for criminal charges brings our clients a measure of relief that meaningful steps toward justice are being taken,” he said.
The Miami Yacht Club also said in a statement that it supports the Coast Guard’s move. CBS News Miami reached out to the U.S. Attorney’s Office to ask whether prosecutors plan to move forward with criminal charges but has not heard back.
