A young man has been sentenced to just six months in jail following the devastating death of a 12-year-old girl, Savannah Peterson, who was struck by a jet ski.
This incident occurred last summer while Savannah was paddleboarding in Mission Bay, San Diego.
The Details of the Case
The individual involved, 20-year-old Arsanyous Refat Ghaly, pleaded guilty to vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence.
Prosecutors allege that Ghaly, then 18, was operating the jet ski at speeds between 47 and 53 mph in a designated 5 mph zone—a claim his defense contests.
The collision resulted in Savannah suffering multiple injuries, including blunt force trauma to her head.
As part of a plea agreement, Ghaly will serve a six-month sentence in county jail, complete 50 days in a work furlough program, and undergo two years of probation.
Although he was arrested last November, he managed to post bail and has remained out of custody while awaiting formal sentencing next month.
Family’s Pursuit of Justice
Savannah’s family is actively pursuing justice by filing a wrongful death lawsuit against Ghaly, the city, and the county of San Diego, among other defendants.
The lawsuit claims that lifeguards allowed Ghaly to operate the jet ski at dangerously high speeds and in an out-of-control manner prior to the incident.
According to the family, lifeguards had warned Ghaly and his friends to slow down just ten minutes before the tragic crash.
The suit also names the individuals who allegedly rented the jet ski to Ghaly, despite his lack of a California Boater’s card.
Additionally, the rental company, identified as OfferUp, is included as a defendant in the lawsuit.
Eyewitness Testimonies
During a preliminary hearing earlier this year, lifeguard John Kerr testified that he had stopped a man on a green jet ski—identified as Ghaly—and warned him about his excessive speed near a cove with a strict speed limit of five mph.
Kerr noted that shortly after he issued the warning, another man, Ghaly’s cousin, was pulled over for speeding while operating a similar jet ski.
This cousin was reportedly acting belligerently and refused to present his boater’s card.
Kerr expressed his concerns, stating, “You’re gonna hurt somebody or you’re gonna hurt yourselves,” just before Ghaly sped off in the opposite direction.
Family’s Heartfelt Statement
In response to the tragedy, Savannah’s family shared a heartfelt statement reflecting their immense loss: “Our daughter was a bright, healthy 12-year-old who loved her family, her friends, playing soccer, and dreaming of her future.
She is a light in our lives, and our hearts continue to break every day since we lost her.
Her death was a senseless, preventable tragedy for our family, including her younger brother, and for our community.”
They emphasized their determination to ensure that no other family experiences such a loss: “We are focused on making sure no other family is forced to endure the loss we live with every day.
We filed this lawsuit to hold people and entities accountable, to create and maintain safe places, and to follow and enforce the laws that are meant to protect us all.”
The family remains committed to making Mission Bay a safer place for everyone, hoping this tragic incident will spur the necessary changes in safety regulations and enforcement.
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