Boat Owner Pleads Not Guilty To Manslaughter After Deadly Crash

BOSTON, MA — The driver and owner of a speedboat that crashed in Boston Harbor in July and killed one woman pleaded not guilty at a Friday arraignment.

Ryan Denver, 38, of Boston, is charged with involuntary manslaughter, three counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon causing serious bodily injury, and two counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon.

Denver was freed on $25,000 cash bail pending trial in December, numerous outlets report.

In the early hours of July 17, 2021, Denver was driving a speedboat called “Make it Go Away” in Boston Harbor that police say crashed into a navigational buoy with “such destructive force” that the boat sank, and all eight passengers sank into the water. At around 3 a.m., Coast Guard crews began a roughly 7-hour-long search for 27-year-old Jeanica Julce, of Somerville, before finding her dead. Five others were hospitalized with injuries, according to the Boston Globe.

Denver was indicted by the Suffolk District Attorney on Oct. 28. Denver’s attorney, Michael J. Connolly, said in a statement Friday that his client was sober, operating the boat at an “appropriate speed,” and crashed into a “poorly illuminated” navigational marker, according to the Globe.

“Ryan did everything in his power to assist them until first responders arrived on the scene and he has cooperated fully with law enforcement,” Connolly said Friday.

Connolly also said the incident was an “accident” that should not be treated as a criminal matter. “We have every expectation that once presented with all of the evidence a jury will exonerate him,” Connolly said.

Prosecutors said Friday that an investigation showed that Denver at times was not facing the wheel, and at times stepped away from the wheel to dance in the aisle, NBC News reported.

If convicted, Denver could be sentenced to anything from manslaughter to 20 years in prison.
Julce’s father, Wilfrid Julce of Somerville, said Friday that he continues to mourn the loss of his daughter, who dreamt of opening a dance studio.

“It is tough for any parent to lose your loved one; 27 years old and full of life,” he said. “In one second, everything is done.”

“Jeanica was a vibrant young woman with a beautiful life ahead of her. She deserved better than to lose everything because of another individual’s recklessness,” Suffolk District Attorney Rachael Rollins said in an earlier statement. “That her life ended in this manner is heartbreaking.”

Related:

• Boston Deadly Boat Crash Driver Indicted On Manslaughter Charge
• Family Of Woman Killed In Boston Harbor Crash Seeking Answers