Probation for Man Involved in Boating Death of 15-Year-Old

UPDATE Jan 7, 2026 6:17 PM CST

An elderly South Florida boater will not serve prison time in connection with the 2024 death of a teenage wakeboarder in Biscayne Bay. Carlos "Bill" Alonso, 79, reached a plea deal with prosecutors that calls for six months of probation and a mandatory boater safety course, NBC 6 reports. He had been facing two misdemeanor counts of careless operation of a vessel in connection with the May 11 incident that killed 15-year-old Ella Riley Adler, who fell into the water while wakeboarding. Authorities say she was then struck by a separate boat operated by Alonso. He did not stop, and his attorneys said he was unaware that his vessel had hit anyone. The Miami Herald reports the case against Edmund Hartley, who was driving the boat that towed Ella, is pending.

Jun 5, 2025 4:25 PM CDT

Two Florida men are facing misdemeanor charges a year after a boating hit-and-run led to the death of 15-year-old Ella Adler during a wakeboarding outing in Key Biscayne. Carlos "Bill" Alonso, 79, is accused of violating two Coast Guard navigational rules, while Edmund Hartley, 31, is charged with violating four, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission, Fox News reports. Both men have pleaded not guilty to careless operation of a vessel. In a statement, Ella's family thanked officials for their persistence in the case, per WTVJ.

In May 2024, Ella, a high school freshman, and a friend were wakeboarding in Nixon Beach while Hartley drove their boat, which carried a dozen people. After both girls fell into the water, Ella was struck by a second boat that then left the area. Witness descriptions later led officers to Alonso's boat in Coral Gables. Alonso has said he was unaware he hit anyone. His attorney maintains that he acted responsibly and argued that the Wildlife Commission's investigation did not find his actions caused the crash, making the charges a surprise. Hartley's attorney has not commented.

"What happened last year was an absolute tragedy, but it was not Bill's fault," Lauren Krasnoff, the attorney, said in a statement to Fox News Digital. "Bill is an experienced and cautious boater and that is how he acted that day. FWC explicitly told us that they did not find Bill's actions caused the accident." Hartley's attorney did not comment. Ella was a Miami City Ballet ballerina, performing in more than 100 shows. After her death, state and local officials called for improving boating safety.