Ella Alder death: Carlos Alonso's lawyer claims suspect had 'no idea of his involvement' in teen's fatal hit-and-run boat crash

MIAMI, FLORIDA: The attorney for the man suspected of driving the boat that killed 15-year-old ballerina Ella Adler claimed her client was unaware of the incident until the police knocked on his door in south Florida.

Lauren Field Krasnoff, Carlos Guillermo Alonso's lawyer, added that "there's doubt about his involvement," CBS Miami reported.

Alder and another girl fell off at multiple points on Saturday, May 11 afternoon while wakeboarding behind a 40-foot Hanse Fjord walk-around near Key Biscayne, which is just south of Miami, according to officials.

Carlos Alonso 'did not know what had happened'

Twelve people were present in the boat pulling Adler. According to a Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission statement, Adler was struck by another boat before the vessel could come back to retrieve her.

The other boat quickly fled the scene. The center console boat with multiple white outboard engines, blue bottom paint, and a light blue hull was described by onlookers as the hit-and-run vehicle.

Additionally, witnesses reported that there was "a lot of blood in the water" following the light blue vessel's departure.

Alonso's lawyer told reporters on Wednesday, May 15, that his client has been an avid boater for over 50 years. The day Alder was killed, he was by himself on his ship.

"If he was the person that was involved in this accident, and I want to be clear, we don't know that yet. If he was he had absolutely no idea of his involvement," Kransoff said, Daily Mail reported.

She added, "When the police came knocking, he did not know why. We're not sure if he was involved. But if he was he absolutely did not know what had happened."

Maritime attorney argues Carlos Alonso could not have been unaware of the collision

According to a maritime attorney Michael Wingkleman, the individual who struck Adler could not have been unaware of the collision. "I find that extremely hard to believe because hitting a person is a large object, you would definitely feel that especially if you are going at any type of speed," Winkleman said.

Krasnoff noted that upon returning home, Alonso moored his boat in plain view and has been cooperating with the investigation.

The attorney stated that Alonso abstained from alcohol and was not consuming any while boating on Saturday, during which the conditions were reported to be "choppy."

Yacht Captain Griffen Diaz, present in the vicinity during Alder's death, reported to Local10, "The wind and waves originated from the west, an atypical direction for Biscayne Bay, marking a rare meteorological event that resulted in choppier bay conditions."

Krasnoff mentioned that Alonso was "devastated" by Alder's death.

Who is Carlos Alonso?

Carlos Alonso, the Florida boater charged with piloting the vessel that resulted in the death of 15-year-old ballerina Ella Adler, resides in a multi-million-dollar waterfront mansion on a private lake, with its boat dock.

Alonso, 78, from Coral Gables, is recorded as the president of Technical Systems & Equipment Corp, a prominent air conditioning installation firm in Miami-Dade County, as stated on the company's website, according to the New York Post.

His wife Magaly Alonso is noted as the Vice President of the company. In addition to a large mansion estimated to be worth $3.5 to $4 million in the upscale gated community of Hammock Oaks, which has private lakes and schools, the couple also has several children and grandchildren.

In addition to having a swimming pool, four bedrooms, and four bathrooms, Alonso's home has a boat dock for his 42-foot Boston Whaler boat.

Alonso has been identified in the FWC report as the only occupant of the boat that struck Adler when she was celebrating a birthday with her friends.