Lawrence Shieh, 40, of Boston, was indicted by a Suffolk County grand jury on Tuesday, August 27, 2026, on multiple charges related to a boating crash in Boston Harbor that killed 24-year-old former Union College soccer player Elizabeth "Lizzie" Dankert and injured two of her friends.
Prosecutors said Shieh was intoxicated and dancing with his hands off the wheel of a stolen boat moments before he crashed nearly head-on into Pier 4R at Logan International Airport. Blood tests after the crash showed his blood-alcohol level was .20, more than twice the legal limit of .08 in Massachusetts. Cellphone videos captured Shieh's inattentiveness at the helm, including dancing and engaging with three young women approximately six seconds before the crash.
District Attorney Kevin Hayden announced the charges against Shieh, which include one count of involuntary manslaughter, one count of operating a boat under the influence (OUI) causing death, two counts of boat OUI causing serious bodily injury, using a boat without authority, and a Logan Airport security zone violation. Data from the boat's navigation system indicated the boat was traveling at 36 mph, a dangerously excessive speed for the area.
Union College spokesperson Phillip Wajda described Dankert as "an exceptional student-athlete who had a tremendous impact during her four years at Union College."
Shieh reportedly consumed a mix of alcoholic beverages at the ReelHouse and other bars in the Seaport area before the incident. At his first hearing, Shieh's cash bail was set at $25,000 with conditions including no contact with female witnesses, staying away from the ReelHouse, and refraining from boating or consuming alcohol during the investigation.
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