Report: Guggenheim Life and Annuity Company CEO Charged Following Boat Crash

Authorities say that on December 31, 2020, Daniel Towriss was piloting a 42-foot boat in the area of Port Everglades when he struck a jetty at high speed. The crash ejected the vessel’s three passengers, including Jarret and Lauren Silagyi, who both suffered serious injuries.

Now, authorities are charging Towriss with five misdemeanor criminal charges, which could result in up to a year in jail. The Sun-Sentinel reports that the charges include culpable negligence and reckless operation of a vessel.

47-year-old Towriss is the CEO of the massive Guggenheim Life and Annuity Company, which has $37 billion in assets under management. His attorney indicates that Towriss “intend[s] on fighting the charges vigorously,” while a spokesperson for Guggenheim stated that the incident “is a personal matter that occurred during a holiday vacation and is entirely unrelated to Mr. Towriss’ business duties and responsibilities.”

The Silagyis contacted us a Hickey Law Firm, P.A. to file suit as a result of their injuries. As the Sun-Sentinel report correctly reports, the complaint notes that “Towriss had a cocktail and ‘a portion of two to three bottles of wine’” in the time leading up to his piloting the boat and causing the wreck.