Boater was drunk, dancing before Boston Harbor crash that killed 24-year-old former soccer player, DA says

The boater charged in the crash that killed a 24-year-old former student athlete was intoxicated and dancing with his hands off the wheel when he steered a stolen boat into a Boston pier, prosecutors said.

Lawrence Shieh, 40, of Boston, was indicted by a Suffolk County grand jury on multiple charges in connection with the May 13 crash that killed Elizabeth “Lizzie” Dankert, 24, and injured two of her friends. He is charged with one count of involuntary manslaughter, one count of boat OUI causing death, two counts of boat OUI causing serious bodily injury, using a boat without authority, and a Logan International Airport security zone violation.

Shieh’s blood-alcohol level was more than twice the legal limit following a night of bar-hopping before he crashed the boat.

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“That night, Lawrence Shieh drank a mix of alcoholic beverages at the ReelHouse with friends and several other bars in the Seaport,” Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden told reporters. “Blood testing after the crash recorded his blood-alcohol at .20, or more than twice the .08 legal limit here in Massachusetts.”

The boat, which was not equipped with exterior lighting, had been docked at Freedom Boat Club in Boston’s Seaport District before it was taken without permission. Although Shieh held membership in the club, he had no authorization to remove the vessel. Hayden said cellphone footage — including video recorded on Dankert’s phone — captured the moments leading up to the deadly crash.

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“Cellphone videos recorded Shieh’s conduct, including inattentiveness at the helm, dancing and engaging with the three young women. Approximately six seconds before the crash, Shieh is captured on video with both hands off the wheel of the boat,” Hayden said.

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The boat then crashed nearly head-on into Pier 4R at Logan.

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“Recovered data from the boat navigation system indicates that the boat was traveling at a dangerously excessive speed for the area of 36 mph at the time of the crash,” Hayden said.

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Dankert struck her head and died as a result of blunt force injuries. The other two women and Shieh suffered non life-threatening injuries.

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Dankert, of Andover, was a 2024 graduate of Union College, where she played soccer.

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“Lizzie was an exceptional student-athlete who had a tremendous impact during her four years at Union College,” Union College spokesperson Phillip Wajda told Boston 25 in a statement. Fox News Digital has reached out to Union College for comment.

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In his first hearing, a cash bail was set at $25,000 with conditions for Shieh to stay away and have no contact with the female witnesses, Fan Pier and Freedom Boat Club employees, stay away from the ReelHouse in Seaport and no boating or consume alcohol during the investigations.

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Shieh’s attorney, Nick Pisegna, said in the hearing that his client did not have a criminal record and has been “diligently attending” his appointments following the incident.

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Shieh was released after posting bail. He is due back in court on Oct. 8 at 2 p.m. for a pre-trial conference. Fox News Digital has reached out to Shieh’s attorney for comment.