Close Menu
  • Home
  • COMMUNITY NEWS
  • LOCAL NEWS & EVENTS
  • SCHOOL NEWS
  • MILITARY NEWS
  • CRIME / PUBLIC SAFETY
  • THINGS TO DO
  • HEALTH & WELLNESS
  • HOME & GARDEN
  • NORTHWEST FLORIDA NEWS
  • FLORIDA NEWS
  • Contact
Facebook
Facebook X (Twitter) YouTube
Niceville.com
Niceville.com
Home»FLORIDA NEWS»Miami man pleads guilty to involuntary manslaughter in fatal boating accident
FLORIDA NEWS

Miami man pleads guilty to involuntary manslaughter in fatal boating accident

Niceville.comSeptember 29, 20232 Mins Read
courthouse, street view
Courthouse. (File photo)

FLORIDA – A Miami man has admitted responsibility for a fatal boating accident that killed two people.

Last week, Josbel Fernandez Echevarria, 37, pleaded guilty to two counts of involuntary manslaughter arising from the deaths of Javier M. Perez and Carolyn Alvarez.

According to the factual basis supporting the defendant’s guilty plea, on July 2, 2020, Echevarria was the operator of a 32-foot powerboat in waters off the coast of Bimini in The Bahamas. Echevarria’s girlfriend, Perez, and Alvarez were also onboard the boat.

At around 10:29 p.m., the boat hit North Turtle Rock, a high-tide elevation marked on all navigational charts and the boat’s navigation system during the crash. The boat reportedly was traveling 43.4 miles per hour at the time of impact.

Echevarria and his girlfriend were injured, but Perez and Alvarez did not survive the crash. Perez’s body was found on North Turtle Rock. Alvarez’s body has not yet been found.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, Perez and Alvarez’s death occurred due to Echevarria’s failure to maintain a proper lookout and failure to proceed at a safe speed in violation of Parts 5 and 6 of the International Steering and Sailing Rules.

U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida and Acting Special Agent in Charge Matthew Margelot, U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service (CGIS), Southeast Region, announced the guilty plea.

CGIS investigated the case, with assistance from the Royal Bahamian Police Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas Watts-FitzGerald and Yara Dodin are prosecuting the case.

Sentencing is scheduled for January 12, 2024, at 2 p.m. before U.S. District Court Judge Kathleen M. Williams. Echevarria faces up to eight years in prison for each count, criminal fines of up to $250,000 for each count, and a period of supervised release of up to three years.

Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
Previous ArticleOktoberfest coming to Bluewater: 2023 Rotary Club celebration delights all ages
Next Article Improved pay, bonuses unveiled to attract and retain correctional officers

Related Posts

Truck bed filled with alcohol containers seized by deputies during Spring Break

Spring Break crackdown: 664 students cited for underage drinking in Okaloosa

May 5, 2025
walton county sheriff's office crime and safety report

Two men arrested after late-night doorbell scare in DeFuniak

May 5, 2025
Police vehicle with emergency lights flashing at night.

Tourist shot in Miramar Beach, suspects flee to Georgia, get caught

May 5, 2025
Smiling woman in SUV with surfboards on top promoting auto loan rates
Categories
  • COMMUNITY NEWS
  • CRIME / PUBLIC SAFETY
  • FLORIDA NEWS
  • HEALTH & WELLNESS
  • HOME & GARDEN
  • IT'S GEEK TO ME
  • LARRY WILLIAMS
  • LOCAL NEWS & EVENTS
  • MARKETPLACE NEWS
  • MILITARY NEWS
  • NORTHWEST FLORIDA NEWS
  • OUTDOORS
  • ROADS / TRANSPORTATION
  • SCHOOL NEWS
  • THINGS TO DO
Smiling woman in SUV with surfboards on top promoting auto loan rates
COMMUNITY PARTNERS
  • EGLIN FEDERAL CREDIT UNION
  • EYEWEAR UNLIMITED
  • HAIR EXPRESS
  • MIDBAY VETERINARY HOSPITAL
  • NICEVILLE FARMERS MARKET
  • NICEVILLE INSURANCE AGENCY
  • RUCKEL PROPERTIES, INC.
  • THE WHARF 850
The Wharf 850 Niceville, Florida
Categories
  • COMMUNITY NEWS
  • CRIME / PUBLIC SAFETY
  • FLORIDA NEWS
  • HEALTH & WELLNESS
  • HOME & GARDEN
  • IT'S GEEK TO ME
  • LARRY WILLIAMS
  • LOCAL NEWS & EVENTS
  • MARKETPLACE NEWS
  • MILITARY NEWS
  • NORTHWEST FLORIDA NEWS
  • OUTDOORS
  • ROADS / TRANSPORTATION
  • SCHOOL NEWS
  • THINGS TO DO
The Wharf 850 Niceville, Florida

ABOUT NICEVILLE.COM

PRIVACY POLICY

TERMS OF SERVICE

© 2025 Niceville.com. All Rights Reserved.

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.