A young man, Arsanyous Refat Ghaly, 20, was sentenced to 230 days in custody and two years of probation for fatally striking a 12-year-old girl, Savannah Peterson, with a jet ski in Mission Bay last year. Ghaly pleaded guilty to vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence for the watercraft crash that took Peterson’s life on July 29, 2023.
The tragic incident occurred in the De Anza Cove area when Peterson was on a paddleboard and was struck by the jet ski around 2 p.m. Despite being taken to the hospital, she succumbed to her injuries. Ghaly, who was 18 at the time, was arrested in November following the fatality.
Prosecutors claimed that the crash happened in an area where watercraft operators are required to maintain speeds below 5 miles per hour. Testimonies revealed that data from the jet ski indicated it was traveling between 47 to 53 mph at the time of the collision. Prior to the accident, a lifeguard had warned Ghaly about speeding on the jet ski.
During the sentencing hearing, Ghaly’s defense attorney described the crash as a tragic accident and argued that Ghaly was operating the watercraft within the permitted area for higher speeds. The initial stipulated sentence included six months in county jail and 50 days in a work furlough program, but Ghaly was denied entry into the program.
San Diego Superior Court Judge Polly Shamoon expressed disappointment in Ghaly for arriving late to the hearing and for his statements blaming the victim and expressing concerns about his driver’s license suspension. Despite upholding the plea agreement, Shamoon admonished Ghaly for not taking the situation seriously enough.
Ghaly apologized to the victim’s family and the court for his actions, expressing remorse for the tragic outcome. He acknowledged that he never intended for such a tragedy to occur.
The victim’s parents, Ashley and Mark Peterson, spoke in court, highlighting Savannah’s aspirations and character. They emphasized the impact of the loss on their family and the community, urging Ghaly to learn from the experience and strive to do better.
The Peterson family also filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Ghaly, the city and county of San Diego, and others involved in the incident. The lawsuit alleges negligence on the part of the city for failing to regulate watercraft operators in Mission Bay and holds individuals accountable for renting out the jet ski without proper credentials.
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