{"id":1561,"date":"2026-06-09T23:05:41","date_gmt":"2026-06-09T23:05:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/jacksonvillemovingnews.com\/?p=1561"},"modified":"2026-06-09T23:05:41","modified_gmt":"2026-06-09T23:05:41","slug":"worst-nightmare-lucy-fernandezs-father-recalls-finding-daughter-intubated-after-2022-boat-crash","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jacksonvillemovingnews.com\/?p=1561","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Worst nightmare’: Lucy Fernandez’s father recalls finding daughter intubated after 2022 boat crash"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

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.<\/p>\n

Read more House passes $70B bill to fund immigration enforcement for 3 years<\/a><\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

“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.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat does she do before leaving? She gave me a hug,\u201d Fernandez testified. \u201cI remember it clearly because it\u2019s the last time I held her alive.\u201d<\/p>\n

Prosecutors presented video from the outing showing a group of high school students singing and dancing to Billy Joel’s \u201cUptown Girl\u201d while enjoying the holiday weekend on the water.<\/p>\n

That celebration abruptly turned tragic when the boat struck a channel marker and began to capsize.<\/p>\n

Prosecutors claim Pino was speeding after admitting to drinking alcohol.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Camila Alvarez, one of the teenagers aboard the vessel, described the terrifying moments to jurors after the impact.<\/p>\n

\u201cI just remember a jolting happening, a pop up, and the boat starts to capsize,\u201d Alvarez testified.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Alvarez also testified that everyone on board trusted Pino to safely operate the vessel.<\/p>\n

Fiberglass in head<\/strong><\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Read more 4 people flee scene after rollover crash in West Park, BSO says<\/a><\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe first thing we wanted to do was take that off,\u201d Fernandez said. \u201cThey said, \u2018Don\u2019t touch her. It\u2019s evidence.\u2019 At that point, Melly and I looked at each other and said, \u2018Our daughter\u2019s a piece of evidence.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Despite extensive life-saving efforts, Fernandez did not survive.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was horrific, a parent\u2019s worst nightmare,\u201d he told jurors. \u201cWe walked in and she\u2019s hooked up to machines. She\u2019s 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.\u201d<\/p>\n

Another teen, Katy Puig, was left with permanent injuries.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Pino claims crash was an accident\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

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.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThe evidence will show that this tragedy was not caused by reckless, negligent, culpable behavior,\u201d defense attorney Howard Srebnick told jurors during opening statements. \u201cAt worst, he was human and committed human error.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pino’s emotional state<\/strong><\/p>\n

The trial abruptly halted Monday after Pino became emotional while his attorney was doing opening statements.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tThe first day of George Pino’s trial was off to a rocky start after a judge paused proceedings for the day after he appeared to have a breakdown during opening statements. NBC6’s Christian Col\u00f3n reports\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n

On Tuesday, Pino was more composed but still breathing heavily and drinking lots of water.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

The judge warned jurors should not witness the defendant being approached by anyone other than his attorneys.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Read more Broward School Board approves bus camera program expected to generate millions<\/a><\/p>\n

Pino faces up to 30 years in prison if convicted.<\/p>\n

The trial is scheduled to continue Wednesday.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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\u2026<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1560,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1561","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-crime-and-courts"],"yoast_head":"\n\u2018Worst nightmare': Lucy Fernandez's father recalls finding daughter intubated after 2022 boat crash - Jacksonville Moving News<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/jacksonvillemovingnews.com\/?p=1561\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"\u2018Worst nightmare': Lucy Fernandez's father recalls finding daughter intubated after 2022 boat crash - 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