San Diego man stands trial for manslaughter of paddleboarding girl, 12, ‘he struck with jet ski moments after being warned he was going far too fast’
A San Diego man is charged with manslaughter for allegedly striking and killing a 12-year-old girl on a Jet Ski after being warned he was going too fast.
Arsanyous Ghaly, 19, is accused of killing the girl, identified only as Savannah, in July 2023 while she was paddle boarding on Mission Bay, near De Anza Cove.
She was struck one day in perfect conditions about 30 feet offshore.
First responders attempted to revive her after she was brought to shore, but she was pronounced dead at the hospital.
Lifeguard John Kerr testified at a preliminary hearing Monday that he stopped a man on a green jet ski and gave him a warning before the fatal accident, as reported by NBC San Diego.
Arsanyous Ghaly, 19, is accused of killing the girl, identified only as Savannah, in July 2023 while she was paddleboarding in Mission Bay, near De Anza Cove.
The lifeguard said the man, whom he identified as Ghaly, was driving at an “incredibly high speed” near the bay, where the speed limit is five miles per hour.
Another witness said the jet ski raced toward the girl at about 30 to 35 miles per hour.
Kerr added that shortly after stopping Ghaly, another man with an identical jet ski was stopped for speeding. He said the man was Ghaly’s cousin, that he behaved belligerently and refused to hand over his skipper’s card.
The lifeguard then claimed Ghaly drove to the area where the second man was stopped and crossed dangerously close to his boat.
Kerr said he told the men, “You’re either going to hurt someone, or you’re going to hurt yourself.”
The second driver’s jet ski was then seized and Ghaly drove away.
The lifeguard said the man, whom he identified as Ghaly, was driving at an “incredibly high speed” near the bay, where the speed limit is five miles per hour.
As Kerr towed the jet ski to shore, he said he heard the radio call about a crash 1,000 feet from where he was.
Ghaly’s lawyers questioned Kerr’s testimony after he incorrectly identified a man in court as the second jet sky driver named Peter.
However, when the attorneys asked if it was possible that Kerr had misidentified Ghaly, the lifeguard said, “Doubtful.”
Meanwhile, SDPD Officer Alyssa Tutterow said Ghaly admitted he was the driver at the scene, adding that he did not know the speed limit and did not have a skipper card.
Tutterow also said data from the Yamaha Jet-Ski showed the ship was traveling at a speed of 47-53 miles per hour and there were no signs of breakage.
A judge will decide whether the preliminary hearings provide enough evidence to send Ghaly to trial.
