A man has been indicted on multiple charges, including involuntary manslaughter, in connection with a May 13 boat crash that killed a 24-year-old woman and injured two of her friends. Lawrence Shieh, 40, of Boston, faces charges for operating a boat while intoxicated, causing death and serious bodily injury, and using a boat without authority.
According to prosecutors, Shieh was allegedly intoxicated and not in control of the vessel when it collided with a pier near Logan International Airport. His blood-alcohol level was recorded at .20, more than twice the legal limit of .08 in Massachusetts, following a night of bar-hopping. Prosecutors stated that Shieh was dancing without his hands on the wheel at the time of the crash.
The boat involved in the incident was reported as stolen. A spokesperson for the Freedom Boat Club, the vessel's owner, confirmed that the boat was taken without authorization and operated outside of the club's knowledge and control after it had closed for the day.
The victim, Elizabeth “Lizzie” Dankert, a recent graduate of Union College in Schenectady, New York, was described by college officials as an "exceptional student-athlete." Dankert, who played soccer for Union College, was a graduate of the Class of 2024. The college expressed its condolences to her family, classmates, and teammates, calling her passing a profound. Dankert was from Andover.
The proximity of the crash to Logan International Airport also led to an additional charge of an airport security violation. Boston EMS shared images of the damaged boat console on social media following the incident.