Emotional testimony filled the courtroom Tuesday as the father of 17-year-old Lucy Fernandez recounted the final moments he shared with his daughter before a tragic boat crash claimed her life during Labor Day weekend in 2022.
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The testimony came during the second day of trial for George Pino, a South Florida real estate developer accused of crashing his boat into a channel marker in Biscayne Bay, resulting in Fernandez’s death and injuries to several others on board.
“He hit that channel marker, ladies and gentlemen, as he was accelerating through the channel going from speeds of 43 miles per hour to 47 miles per hour,” state attorney Laura Adams said during opening statements.
On Tuesday, Andres Fernandez told jurors he met up with his daughter earlier that day while she was celebrating the birthday of Pino’s daughter aboard the family boat. The Fernandez family was friends with the Pino family.
“What does she do before leaving? She gave me a hug,” Fernandez testified. “I remember it clearly because it’s the last time I held her alive.”
Prosecutors presented video from the outing showing a group of high school students singing and dancing to Billy Joel’s “Uptown Girl” while enjoying the holiday weekend on the water.
That celebration abruptly turned tragic when the boat struck a channel marker and began to capsize.
Prosecutors claim Pino was speeding after admitting to drinking alcohol.
Camila Alvarez, one of the teenagers aboard the vessel, described the terrifying moments to jurors after the impact.
“I just remember a jolting happening, a pop up, and the boat starts to capsize,” Alvarez testified.
She told jurors she handed out boat cushions to friends struggling to stay afloat in the water. Amid the chaos, there was no sign of Lucy Fernandez.
Alvarez also testified that everyone on board trusted Pino to safely operate the vessel.
Fiberglass in head
Fernandez was transported to the hospital, where her family rushed to be by her side after learning of the crash. Andres Fernandez described the devastating scene he encountered upon arrival.
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He testified that his daughter had a piece of fiberglass lodged in her head and that hospital staff prevented him from removing it because it was considered evidence.
“The first thing we wanted to do was take that off,” Fernandez said. “They said, ‘Don’t touch her. It’s evidence.’ At that point, Melly and I looked at each other and said, ‘Our daughter’s a piece of evidence.’”
Despite extensive life-saving efforts, Fernandez did not survive.
“It was horrific, a parent’s worst nightmare,” he told jurors. “We walked in and she’s hooked up to machines. She’s got tubes coming out of every hole. The nurse is performing emergency CPR on her. We had no doubt she was holding on for Melly and I to get there.”
Another teen, Katy Puig, was left with permanent injuries.
Pino claims crash was an accident
Pino has acknowledged drinking two beers before the crash but maintains he was not impaired. His defense team argues that the collision was a tragic accident rather than a crime.
“The evidence will show that this tragedy was not caused by reckless, negligent, culpable behavior,” defense attorney Howard Srebnick told jurors during opening statements. “At worst, he was human and committed human error.”
Pino’s emotional state
The trial abruptly halted Monday after Pino became emotional while his attorney was doing opening statements.
Fire rescue was called into the courthouse, and Pino was medically checked. NBC6 observed Pino being taken out through a staircase, not usually used by the public.
On Tuesday, Pino was more composed but still breathing heavily and drinking lots of water.
At one point during the proceedings, Pino’s loved ones approached him to hug him and say hello. Because the jury was still present, at the request of state attorney Adams, Judge Marisa Tinkler Mendez told the members of the public that their behavior was inappropriate.
The judge warned jurors should not witness the defendant being approached by anyone other than his attorneys.
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Pino faces up to 30 years in prison if convicted.
The trial is scheduled to continue Wednesday.