José Fernández was at the helm when boat crashed, killing him and two others
Baseball star José Fernández was at the wheel of the speedboat which crashed in September 2016, killing him and two of his friends
20 March 2017
The Miami Marlins pitcher José Fernández was piloting the speedboat when it crashed into a jetty off Miami Beach, according to an investigation into the accident.
Lawyers for his family had disputed this claim, saying the baseball star was not at the wheel at the time of the accident, on 25 September 2016, which killed him and two of his friends, Jesus Macias, 27, and Eduardo Rivero, 25.
The families of Rivero and Macias have filed lawsuits against Fernandez’s estate, each seeking $2 million.
A report by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission into the accident concluded that the speedboat, which belonged to Fernández, was travelling at more than 65mph when it crashed.
“Fernández operated [the boat] with his normal faculties impaired, in a reckless manner, at an extremely high rate, in the darkness of night, in an area with known navigational hazards such as rock jetties and channel markers.” stated the report, which was released last week.
The pitcher’s fingerprints and DNA were found on the wheel, and the projection of his body as he was thrown from the boat put Fernández at the helm.
According to a toxicology report released by the Miami authorities last year, Fernández, 24, had both alcohol and cocaine in his system when he died.
He was not wearing a lifejacket at the time of the crash.
1 November 2016
Baseball star Jose Fernandez was one of three people who lost their lives in the fatal accident off Miami Beach on 25 September, 2016.
According to a toxicology report released by the Miami authorities, Fernandez had both alcohol and cocaine in his system when he died.
The 24-year-old was with two friends, Emilio Jesus Macias, 27, and Eduardo Rivero, 25, at the time of the accident.
It is still not clear who was driving the boat, which belonged to Fernandez.
The three men had left a local restaurant before taking the boat out onto the water. It ran into a jetty off Miami Beach.
The autopsy report reveals Fernandez had a blood-alcohol content level of 0.147. This is above the 0.08 legal limit in the state of Florida.
Cocaine was also found in his system.
26 September 2016
Jose Fernandez, the 24-year-old pitcher for the Miami Marlins, has died.
The baseball star was on the 32 ft vessel with friends when the boat crashed against large rocks and three people lost their lives on Sunday, 25 September, the US Coast Guard has confirmed.
Todd Garofalo, Chief of Miami-Dade Fire Rescue told local news station WSVN: “They found a boat that was up against the jetties. They did do an initial search and they found three victims – two on top of the water, one underneath the boat and they had unfortunately passed away.”
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission confirmed that the boat had a “severe impact” with rocks that form part of the jetty just off Miami Beach, Florida.
Fernandez was not wearing a lifejacket at the time.
The other two victims are yet to be named.
The Miami Marlins were said to be devastated at the news and cancelled their home game against the Atlanta Braves on Sunday.
A few days before the accident Cuban-born Jose Fernandez had hinted on Instagram that his girlfriend Carla Mendoza was pregnant, writing: “I’m so glad you came into my life. I’m ready for where this journey is gonna take us together. #familyfirst.”.
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