Latest news with #LucyFernandez
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Help curb boating accidents in Florida, Gov. Desantis. Sign the Lucy Law bill.
On Thanksgiving Day 2019, my life changed forever. A speeding boat struck me while I was snorkeling. My right arm was severed on impact, and I caught a glimpse of it sinking onto the reef below. Both of my legs were severely damaged by the propellers, and my left wrist was badly broken. After miraculously surviving this, one of the first things I said after waking up from my medically-induced coma was, "I can make a bigger difference now than I ever could before this happened." As a marine biologist who worked at Loggerhead Marinelife Center at the time of my accident, I frequently saw the devastating effects of boat strikes on sea turtles, not knowing that I would soon endure the same fate. I often snorkeled off the coast of Palm Beach County, enjoying the beauty of the area's diverse marine life. On that fateful day, I was snorkeling off of the coast when a 36-foot speedboat directly hit me. The driver did not see my divers-down flag, a required safety device that was floating just a few feet away from me. GPS data from the boat recorded their speed at about 45 miles per hour at the time of impact. I firmly believe that my faith was what saved me and that God had given me an opportunity to help others through this incident. When I heard about Lucy's Law, I knew I had to support it. The bill is comprehensive boater safety legislation named in honor of Lucy Fernandez, a Miami teenager who was killed in a tragic boating accident. She was just a few years younger than me at the time of my accident; she deserved to live a long, full, and joyful life. The legislation, which currently awaits the governor's signature, has three main components. It requires the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) to establish standards for online boating safety education courses. It also aligns boating under-the-influence with driving-under-the-influence penalties and creates harsher penalties for operators who leave the scene of an accident. Gov. DeSantis, we're counting on you to help prevent more of these life-changing accidents. I urge you to sign Lucy's Law. This legislation may not change what happened to me, but it can help protect others and potentially save lives. Florida is the boating capital of the world. We have pristine, blue waters filled with marine life, which my career is dedicated to preserving. Every resident and visitor has the opportunity to explore all that our coastal waters have to offer. But with that opportunity comes responsibility. According to the FWC, there were 659 boating accidents in 2023 alone and 59 of those were deadly. Education and training saves lives. Lucy's Law will save lives. Carter Viss founded the Carter Viss Foundation, a boating safety nonprofit based in Jupiter. This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Florida bill could improve boat safety. Desantis must sign. | Opinion
CBS News
11-05-2025
- CBS News
George Pino deadly boat crash case prompts FWC policy change after bodycam videos deleted
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is revising its body camera policy following scrutiny over how its officers handled footage from the 2022 Biscayne Bay boat crash involving Miami real estate broker George Pino — a crash that killed 17-year-old Lucy Fernandez and left another teen with a traumatic brain injury. FWC: Policy, not officer misconduct, behind body camera issue In a newly released statement, the FWC Division of Law Enforcement said its review found no wrongdoing by the officers who responded to the crash. Instead, the agency cited a gap in its current policy, which failed to clearly instruct officers in support roles—those who were not lead investigators or directly addressing violations—on how to categorize their body-worn camera (BWC) videos. "In this case, the officers categorized their videos as incidental, which, under the existing policy, was an appropriate classification," the FWC said. "They were not the lead officers on the case, nor were they addressing any violations directly." The agency also emphasized that officers did not delete their footage; rather, the system automatically removes videos after a set retention period based on how they were classified. Revised policy underway to increase accountability The FWC acknowledged that its current policy "did not align with our intent for our officers' documentation responsibilities," and said it is taking immediate steps to revise the guidance. The changes will clarify categorization procedures, especially for officers in non-primary roles, and add expectations for supervisory review. "We are committed to transparency and accountability, and we appreciate the opportunity to address this matter directly," the agency said. The clarification comes amid renewed attention on how the investigation into the 2022 crash was handled, particularly after it was revealed that some witnesses were not contacted and that no sobriety test was administered to Pino at the scene. George Pino surrenders, faces felony charge Pino surrendered to authorities in November 2024 and appeared in court for a hearing related to a felony charge of vessel homicide. Prosecutors say he was piloting a 29-foot boat carrying his daughter and several friends near Boca Chita Key during Labor Day weekend in 2022 when the vessel struck a channel marker, ejecting all passengers and tearing a hole in the hull. Fernandez died from her injuries, and another girl, Katy Puig, was left with a traumatic brain injury. Eleven of the 14 people on board were hurt. Miami-Dade Fire Rescue said Pino claimed another boat caused a large wake and that he crashed while turning to check on the girls. Investigators later recovered 61 empty alcohol containers—including a champagne bottle—from the boat. Though Pino admitted to having "two beers," no field sobriety test was conducted. Legal and family reactions In 2023, the state filed three misdemeanor charges against Pino, which were dropped in favor of the more serious felony count. The felony charge carries a minimum sentence of 15 years in prison. Pino's daughter, Sofia Castellanos, released a statement on behalf of the family in November 2024, expressing remorse and a commitment to supporting the Fernandez and Puig families. "If we could give up our lives to bring Lucy back… we would do so in an instant," she said. Pino's attorney, Howard Srebnick, criticized the timing of the upgraded charge and argued the incident was a tragic accident, not a criminal act. He said Pino was cooperative, followed boating regulations, and made "heroic efforts" to rescue passengers despite his own injuries. Investigation questions remain The Miami Herald previously reported that three eyewitnesses said they were never contacted by either the FWC or the State Attorney's Office. The Fernandez family's attorney, Joel Denaro, said new witness statements and the presence of alcohol led prosecutors to file the more serious charge. "There's no question that alcohol was a factor," Denaro said. "And with the discovery of the new witness, it became clear that this was a factor that contributed to the accident."
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Yahoo
Florida Legislature approves Lucy's Law boating bill, but it was a watered-down version
The Florida Legislature passed a bill that stiffens existing penalties and creates new penalties for boating infractions, but lawmakers rejected mandatory boating education and driver license suspension for boating under the influence. The House and Senate passed Lucy's Law on May 2. Now it awaits the governor's signature to become law. The legislation is named after Lucy Fernandez, a 17-year-old Miami girl who died in a boating crash that also permanently disabled passenger Katerina Puig. Lucy's Law was proposed by her parents, Andy and Melissa Fernandez. George Pino, the driver of the boat who hit a channel marker, refused to submit to a breathalyzer test and was charged with felony vessel homicide in the 2022 Labor Day weekend crash in Biscayne Bay off Miami-Dade County. The legislation: Enacts punishments for leaving the scene of a boating crash resulting in death, injuries and/or property damage. Establishes a minimum punishment of four years in prison for a BUI manslaughter conviction. Makes it a second-degree misdemeanor to give a false statement to law enforcement officers after a crash. Lawmakers initially proposed making boater education mandatory for everyone boating in and off Florida's coast. The watered-down version of the bill makes it mandatory only when a boater is found guilty of a criminal or non-criminal boating infraction. "The boating education is where we got the pushback," Andy Fernandez told TCPalm. "It (the legislation) was not everything we wanted, but it was something ... The good guys won. We didn't get everything, but this is the first significant change in boating laws in years. We're excited." State law currently requires boat drivers born on or after Jan. 1, 1988 — those younger than 36 — to complete a boating safety course. That leaves many boat owners without formal knowledge of essential maritime safety. Fernandez and the bill's initial sponsors proposed suspending boat drivers' motor vehicle driver licenses if they're convicted of boating under the influence, but that was stripped from the House and Senate bills. Statistics show many fatal boating crashes involve drivers older than 36. About 83% of drivers involved in fatal crashes had no formal boater education, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's 2023 statistics. Florida leads the nation in boat ownership — with 1.04 million registered vessels in 2023 — and boating crashes — with 659, resulting in 59 fatalities. On the Treasure Coast, there were: Indian River County: 11,045 registered vessels, 4 reported crashes, 1 fatality and 6 injuries Martin County: 18,168 registered vessels, 14 reported crashes, no fatalities and 9 injuries St. Lucie County: 17,256 registered vessels, 23 reported crashes, 1 fatality and 5. Bill revokes boat inspections Bill revoking boat inspections and fuel source rules powers through Florida Legislature Technology impacts fish populations Expensive fishing technology turns novice anglers into pros, but results in overfishing "This is just the beginning," Andy Fernandez said. "It's a significant first step. You can bet your bottom dollar we will be back." The Fernandez family also created the Lucy Fernandez Foundation that provides scholarships and experiential learning opportunities for students at Our Lady of Lourdes Academy in Miami. Tim O'Hara is TCPalm's environment reporter. Contact him at This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: What is Lucy's Law in Florida boating? Bill awaits DeSantis signature
