Florida boater pleads guilty in fatal crash, avoids jail with plea deal

A Florida boater pleaded guilty to misdemeanor careless boating in the 2024 death of 15-year-old Ella Adler and was sentenced to 12 months of probation under a plea agreement that allows for early termination and a petition to vacate the plea if conditions are met.

Authorities reported that a Florida man pleaded guilty in connection with a 2024 boating collision that killed 15-year-old Ella Adler. The plea was entered to a charge of misdemeanor careless boating. The man was sentenced to 12 months of probation under a plea agreement and may have his probation ended after six months. The agreement also allows him to petition the court to vacate the guilty plea if he fulfills the court's conditions. Known details: - The victim was 15-year-old Ella Adler, who was reported as struck after falling from a tow line while on the water in 2024. - The defendant, identified as Carlos Guillermo "Bill" Alonso, pleaded guilty to misdemeanor careless boating. - Under the plea agreement Alonso received 12 months' probation, with the possibility of termination after six months and the option to petition to vacate the plea if court conditions are met. - Edmund Richard Hartley, the vessel's captain, has also been charged and has pleaded not guilty, according to reports. Summary: The guilty plea resolves criminal charges against the boat's owner through a probationary sentence and a pathway to seek vacatur of the plea if conditions are met. Proceedings related to the charged captain remain undetermined at this time.