Family of woman killed in Boston Harbor boat crash files wrongful death lawsuit

The father of a Somerville woman killed in a fatal boat crash in Boston Harbor is suing for $15 million in a wrongful death lawsuit that names two boat operators, including one who already faces criminal charges related to his death.

Jeanica Julce, 27, was thrown overboard in the summer of 2021 when a boat, driven by Ryan Denver, collided with an aid to navigation at 3 a.m. on a Saturday morning. Seven other passengers were rescued, but first responders were unable to find Julce. His body was found around 10 a.m.

Denver, of Boston, was indicted later that year by a Suffolk County grand jury on charges including involuntary manslaughter and multiple counts of assault and battery . He has pleaded not guilty and his jury trial is scheduled for 2025.

According to the complaint filed Monday in Suffolk County Superior Court, Denver was operating Make It Go Away the night Julce was killed. The lawsuit alleges he was drinking alcohol and operating the boat too fast and negligently when the boat capsized.

In a statement, Denver’s attorney, Michael Connolly, said Denver was sober. Connolly said speeding and drunk driving issues were not included in the criminal charges Denver faces. Instead, he said the navigation marker was poorly lit and obscured from view.

“After impact, Ryan and his passengers entered the harbor as the boat began to take on water,” Connolly said in a statement. “Ryan did everything in his power to help until first responders arrived on scene and has since fully cooperated with law enforcement.”

Another boat driver named in civil suit, but not criminally charged

The other boat operator named in the civil suit is Lee Rosenthal, a Beverly man and driver of the “Defensive Indifference.” Rosenthal’s boat was the first to arrive on scene before first responders, according to the suit.

The suit claims Rosenthal — who has not been criminally charged — hit Julce as he drove around the crash before leaving the area to make way for emergency responders. His lawyer, Kevin Kenneally, said the suit included “a false accusation.”

“(He) was found neither responsible nor implicated by police detectives and emergency responders who investigated the fatal crash,” Kenneally said in a statement. “The offending party has been charged. Authorities confirmed during the investigation that an individual in the water who was not the victim asked Mr. Rosenthal to look for the young woman, which he did.

Julce’s body was found at the bottom of the harbor and “had to be placed in several body bags and the medical examiner had to put the body together to make an identification,” the complaint states.

Aristide Lex, another passenger on the “Make It Go Away,” also filed a lawsuit against Denver on Monday. According to his complaint, the accident caused “permanent injury and disfigurement.” Lex is seeking just over $300,000 to cover medical expenses and lost wages.