A Hamptons homeowner pleaded guilty to negligent homicide and reckless endangerment after a fire in his Sag Harbor vacation rental killed two Maryland sisters. Despite the tragedy, the homeowner and his wife will not serve any jail time under a plea deal.
The Suffolk County Sheriff's Office in New York recently took Fox News Digital on a revealing harbor patrol in the luxurious Hamptons of Long Island. However, behind the glamorous facade lies a somber tale of a fatal fire that claimed the lives of two young women.
In August 2022, the idyllic vacation of 59-year-old federal prosecutor Lewis Wiener, his wife Alisa, 56, and their three children at Peter Miller's $1.8 million Sag Harbor home turned into a nightmare. A fire broke out due to shoddy electrical work performed by Miller himself.
Hamptons Tragedy: Shoddy Electrical Work Leads to Fatal Fire, Sparing Owner Jail Time
The fire, fueled by kitchen vents blocked by a wooden frame, trapped 21-year-old Jillian Wiener, a rising senior at the University of Michigan, and her 19-year-old sister Lindsay, a sophomore at Tulane University, in an upstairs bedroom. Their younger brother Zachary, 23, escaped by climbing out of his room onto a roof and jumping from the second story.
Lewis, dying of pancreatic cancer, suffered severe burns to his feet while attempting to rescue his daughters. The tragedy left the family "broken" and "haunted," according to a press release from the Suffolk County District Attorney's office.
Hamptons Tragedy: Shoddy Electrical Work Leads to Fatal Fire, Sparing Owner Jail Time
Miller, 56, admitted to installing illegal wiring on the property that had never been inspected. He pleaded guilty to criminally negligent homicide, while his wife Pamela, 55, who managed the $8,000-per-week summer rental, pleaded guilty to second-degree reckless endangerment.
Despite the severity of the crime, the couple will not face jail time as part of their plea deal. Miller will receive three years' probation and 200 hours of community service, while Pamela will serve 100 hours of community service.
Hamptons Tragedy: Shoddy Electrical Work Leads to Fatal Fire, Sparing Owner Jail Time
Edward Burke, the Millers' high-profile attorney, could not be reached for comment. The District Attorney's office has emphasized the importance of housing regulations for public safety.
"Such a loss is unimaginable, and our community mourns with them," said Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney. "We take all matters involving housing regulations very seriously."
Hamptons Tragedy: Shoddy Electrical Work Leads to Fatal Fire, Sparing Owner Jail Time
The Wiener family has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the Millers. Their loss serves as a tragic reminder of the devastating consequences of negligence and the need for stricter safety standards in vacation rentals.
