Miami Marlins' Pitcher Jose Fernandez and 2 Others Killed in Boating Crash Had 'Strong Odor of Alcohol'

MIAMI, FL — The bodies of Miami Marlins' pitcher Jose Fernandez and the two other young men recovered after the deadly boat crash in late September each had a "strong odor of alcohol emanating from them," according to a search record affidavit obtained by several media organizations, including Patch.

The capsized 32-foot SeaVee center console boat was first spotted by the U.S. Coast Guard around 3:15 a.m. Sept. 26, officials said. When first responders arrived on the scene, they found two victims under the boat and one in the water nearby, said Lorenzo Veloz, spokesman for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said at a press conference at the time. The victims were identified as Fernandez, 24, Emilio Jesus Macias, 27, and Eduardo Rivero, 25.

At the time, Veloz said speed was believed to be a factor in the crash but said alcohol and drugs do not appear to have played a role. However, the affidavit, which was written by FWC investigator Christina Martin, states that she was told by the associate medical examiner that all three bodies, individually, had a strong odor of alcohol emanating from them. Martin wrote the scene is consistent with a high speed collision "at a location and at a time when such speed was reckless because of the jetty and darkness." The affidavit states the recklessness was "exacerbated by the consumption of alcohol by the operator, whoever that was." The boat was registered to Fernandez, but it is unknown who was piloting the vessel, according to the affidavit. At the time, Veloz said the boat did not belong to Fernandez but to someone closely associated with the Marlins.

The Miami Herald reports that the FWC has since tried to clarify the initial comments about drugs or alcohol playing a factor in the crash. On Wednesday, according to the Herald, the agency said the initial comments “referred to the initial review of the vessel and debris field, which did not yield any evidence of alcohol or drugs on board the vessel.’’

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According to the affidavit, the three men were at a bar before the crash. A receipt for alcohol purchased at the bar that was found in the pocket of one of the occupants. The affidavit does not mention a cause of death, but the associate medical examiner is quoted as saying all three males died with water in their lungs and had blunt trauma consistent with death from a boating collision. Neither the toxicology reports nor the autopsies for the three men have been released, pending the investigation, according to the Herald.

The crimes being investigated are boating homicide under the influence and vessel homicide. The Herald notes that under Florida law those criminal charges are brought only when there is someone to charge, however there is no one else mentioned in the warrant. The warrant was signed Sept. 28, so investigators could search the boat to conduct a forensic examination on the two GPS devices and two motors on the boat. The affidavit states that the two GPS devices on the boat and the outboard motors contain a "black box," all of which will assist in the investigation.

Fernandez, a Cuban-born right-hander with an electric fastball, was a two-time National League All-Star and and National League Rookie of the Year with the Marlins when he came up as a 20-year-old in 2013.

Fernandez was 16-8 this year with a 2.89 ERA and 253 strikeouts in 29 starts. For his career, he was 38-17 with a 2.58 and 589 strikeouts in 76 starts. He was a standout player for Alonso High School in Tampa.

Mike Carraggi and Sherri Lonon contributed to this report

Image Credit: Arturo Pardavila III via Flickr Creative Commons