What Happened
Lawrence Shieh, 40, of Boston, was dancing and had no hands on the wheel of a stolen recreational boat when he slammed it into pier 4R in Boston Harbor on May 13, killing 24-year-old Elizabeth “Lizzie” Dankert of Andover and injuring two of her friends, prosecutors said. A Suffolk County grand jury indicted Shieh on six counts following the crash, according to the New York Post.
The crash occurred near pier 4R, just off a runway at Logan International Airport, Massachusetts State Police confirmed. The boat involved was a center-console vessel belonging to the Freedom Boat Club in Boston’s Seaport District. The club told WCVB the vessel “was taken without authorization and operated outside the knowledge and control of the Club, well after the Club had closed for the day.” Dankert and her friends had been in the Seaport District earlier that Wednesday night before boarding the boat.
Shieh’s BAC registered at 0.20 after blood testing, District Attorney Kevin Hayden told reporters. “That night, Lawrence Shieh drank a mix of alcoholic beverages at the ReelHouse with friends and several other bars in the Seaport,” Hayden said. “Blood testing after the crash recorded his blood-alcohol at .20, or more than twice the .08 legal limit here in Massachusetts.” Prosecutors say Shieh had been bar-hopping through the Seaport before taking the wheel.
Boston EMS responded to the scene and posted a photograph on social media showing the mangled center console on the harbor shore near pier 4R. Dankert was killed in the impact. Two of her friends sustained serious injuries, according to the charges filed.
Dankert was a 2024 graduate of Union College, a liberal arts school in Schenectady, where she played soccer for four years. She was 24 at the time of her death. Union College spokesman Phillip Wajda told Boston 25: “Lizzie was an exceptional student-athlete who had a tremendous impact during her four years at Union College. Her passing is a profound loss for our campus community. We offer our condolences to Lizzie’s family, classmates, teammates, and all those who were lucky to know this terrific young woman.”
Location & Road Context
Pier 4R sits in Boston Harbor directly adjacent to a runway approach corridor at Logan International Airport. The proximity to the airport triggered a charge beyond the standard boating-while-intoxicated counts. The Freedom Boat Club’s Seaport District location, where the vessel originated, is roughly one mile northwest of the crash site across the inner harbor. For background on water-safety incidents in the region, see Long Island Traffic’s accidents coverage.
Investigation & Legal Proceedings
The Suffolk County grand jury indicted Shieh on six counts: one count of involuntary manslaughter, one count of operating a boat while intoxicated causing death, two counts of operating a boat while intoxicated causing serious bodily injury, one count of using a boat without authority, and one count of an airport security violation, per the New York Post’s reporting. District Attorney Kevin Hayden announced the indictment publicly and outlined the bar-hopping timeline and BAC result at a press conference.
The charge of using a boat without authority corresponds to the Freedom Boat Club’s account that the vessel was taken outside the club’s operating hours and without its knowledge. The airport security violation charge reflects the crash location’s position within the flight-path perimeter of Logan International Airport. No arraignment date was announced publicly as of August 26, 2026.
Broader Impact
In Massachusetts, operating a vessel while intoxicated causing death carries a potential sentence of up to 2.5 years in a house of correction or up to 10 years in state prison under Chapter 90B of Massachusetts General Laws; the involuntary manslaughter count carries up to 20 years in state prison. Shieh faces both counts simultaneously. The Freedom Boat Club has not indicated publicly whether it intends to pursue civil action related to the unauthorized use of its vessel.