DRUNK BOATER WAS ALLEGEDLY DANCING WITH BOTH HANDS OFF THE WHEEL BEFORE CRASH THAT KILLED COLLEGE SOCCER PLAYER

A Massachusetts boating case has taken a dramatic turn after prosecutors revealed that the man accused of causing a fatal Boston Harbor crash was allegedly dancing and had both hands off the wheel just seconds before the collision.

Lawrence Shieh, 40, has been indicted in connection with the May 13 crash that claimed the life of 24-year-old Elizabeth “Lizzie” Dankert, a recent Union College graduate and former college soccer player.

Prosecutors say Shieh had been drinking heavily before taking a boat onto Boston Harbor late at night — and cellphone videos allegedly captured his behavior immediately before the fatal impact.

VIDEO CAPTURED THE FINAL SECONDS

According to the Commonwealth’s statement of the case, investigators recovered cellphone footage showing Shieh dancing and interacting with the three women aboard the vessel.

The most critical moment allegedly came just seconds before the crash.

Prosecutors say video shows Shieh with both hands off the steering wheel approximately six seconds before impact.

The boat was reportedly traveling at about 36 mph when it slammed into a pier near a runway at Boston Logan International Airport.

The impact sent the passengers backward.

Dankert suffered fatal blunt-force injuries.

The other two women and Shieh survived with non-life-threatening injuries.

PROSECUTORS SAY HIS BAC WAS .20

Investigators later measured Shieh’s blood alcohol level at 0.20, more than twice Massachusetts’ legal limit of 0.08.

Prosecutors allege that Shieh had consumed approximately seven alcoholic drinks while visiting several bars in Boston’s Seaport area before eventually meeting Dankert and her two friends.

He allegedly offered to take the women out on a boat.

Shieh was a member of the Freedom Boat Club and had access to the marina.

According to prosecutors, however, club rules prohibited nighttime boating, and the vessel was allegedly taken without authorization after the club had closed.

THE BOAT WAS NOT SUPPOSED TO BE OUT THERE

The circumstances surrounding the vessel itself have become another major part of the prosecution’s case.

Authorities allege that Shieh took the boat from the marina and headed into Boston Harbor around 10:30 p.m.

The boat ultimately traveled into an area near Logan Airport where boating restrictions were in place.

Prosecutors say the vessel did not have exterior lighting capable of properly illuminating the water ahead.

Then, at approximately 36 mph, it struck the end of a pier.

The crash occurred in the darkness, turning what had reportedly begun as a night out into a fatal disaster.

LIZZIE DANKERT’S LIFE WAS CUT SHORT

Dankert was only 24.

She graduated from Union College in 2024, where she studied English and played soccer.

The college remembered her as an exceptional student-athlete who made a lasting impact on campus.

Her family has described a young woman who loved nature, the beach, beautiful views and new adventures.

Instead of returning home after a night in Boston, Dankert never got the chance to continue the life she had been building.

THE NIGHT THAT ENDED IN TRAGEDY

According to prosecutors, Shieh had been drinking with friends earlier that evening.

After his friends left, he allegedly remained in the Seaport area and eventually met Dankert and her two friends.

He then allegedly offered them a boat ride.

What followed was captured partly on cellphone video.

Dancing.

Socializing.

A high-speed trip through the harbor.

And then, according to prosecutors, six seconds before impact, both of Shieh’s hands were away from the wheel.

Moments later, the boat slammed into the pier.

SHIEH FACES MULTIPLE CHARGES

A Suffolk County grand jury indicted Shieh on several charges, including involuntary manslaughter, operating a boat while intoxicated causing death, two counts of operating a boat while intoxicated causing serious injury, unauthorized use of a boat and an airport security-zone violation.

Shieh has pleaded not guilty.

His bail was set at $25,000, with conditions that include a prohibition on boating and consuming alcohol.

He is scheduled to return to court on Oct. 8.

A FAMILY FINALLY GETS SOME ANSWERS

Dankert’s family has said they feel some measure of relief now that prosecutors have laid out their account of what happened that night.

But the legal process is only beginning.

For them, no indictment can bring Lizzie back.

Their focus is now on remembering the young woman she was — rather than allowing the circumstances of her final night to define her entire story.

THE SIX SECONDS THAT COULD DEFINE THE CASE

The prosecution’s case now centers on a devastating sequence of events:

A reported 0.20 BAC.

A boat allegedly taken without authorization.

A nighttime trip in a restricted area.

A vessel traveling around 36 mph.

Cellphone footage allegedly showing dancing and inattentiveness.

And, prosecutors say, both hands off the wheel just six seconds before impact.

Those six seconds could become some of the most important evidence in the courtroom.

Because ultimately, prosecutors will have to prove that Shieh’s alleged conduct caused the crash and that his actions meet the legal requirements of the charges against him.

For Lizzie Dankert’s family, however, the case is about something much more personal.

A promising 24-year-old life ended on Boston Harbor.

And now, they are waiting for justice.