Man Who Owns Boat that Killed Teen Wakeboarder Ella Adler Had 'No Idea' About Crash: Lawyer
Authorities say Carlos Guillermo Alonso, 78, is the owner of the vessel that struck Ella Adler while she was wakeboarding
Ella Adler, 15, was wakeboarding with her friends when she fell into the water before being struck, authorities say
A boat owned by 78-year-old Carlos Guillermo Alonso allegedly hit her and left the scene, according to an incident report
Alonso's lawyer says he is "devastated" from the incident and is cooperating with the investigation
The man who owns the boat that allegedly killed 15-year-old Ella Adler is “devastated” and had “no idea” that his boat was responsible for her death, his lawyer says.
Carlos Guillermo Alonso, 78, was identified by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) as the owner of the boat that killed Ella while she was wakeboarding on Saturday near a beach in Key Biscayne, Fla., PEOPLE previously reported, citing an incident report.
“We are devastated for the Adlers, for their friends, their family, there’s no question in our minds that this is a absolutely horrific thing that happened and we pray for and think of their family and friends during this time,” Alonso’s attorney Lauren Field Krasnoff said in a statement, per NBC 6, which was the first to report on it.
Related: Boat That Struck and Killed 15-Year-Old Fla. Ballerina Found, Authorities Say
The accident took place when Ella was wakeboarding with another friend, the incident report stated. Before she was struck, Ella fell into the water. Alonso's vessel then allegedly "traversed" the area and "struck" Ella before leaving the scene.
Krasnoff says she does not know whether Alonso or his boat were involved.
"If his boat was involved, I can tell you he had absolutely no idea that that is what happened that day. He is as devastated as anybody could be,” she said, per the outlet.
When authorities knocked on his door, Alonso was taken by surprise, Kransoff said.
The incident report by FWC states Alonso is the owner of the boat, but a FWC spokesperson told PEOPLE that it’s not clear if Alonso was the operator of the boat. There was only one person on his boat at the time of the accident, per the incident report.
On Tuesday, FWC announced they had seized a vessel that “fits the description” of the one involved in the crash and that Alonso had been cooperating with authorities.
Related: Owner of Boat that Killed Teen Wakeboarder Ella Adler Is Identified
In her statement, Kransoff emphasized that Alonso was cooperating with police, as well as “with anybody that has needed to investigate what happened on the water that day,” per NBC 6.
“He has had no contact with the criminal system. He does not drink, and he was not drinking on that Saturday,” she said.
In footage shared by NBC 6 on Thursday, a man identified as Alonso was seen stepping out of his car and heading inside his residence with Kransoff's assistance.
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Ella was the granddaughter of U.S. Ambassador to Belgium Michael M. Adler, CBS previously reported. She was a “star” ballerina and a “force of nature,” an obituary read.
“[When] she was near, everyone felt a gravitational pull toward her,” the obituary said. “In her 15 years on this earth, she dazzled us with her light.”
No charges had been filed as of Thursday morning in connection with her killing.
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