Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., wants the federal government to help improve a Miami Beach jetty a Major League Baseball pitcher was killed in a boating accident.
Jose Fernandez, a 24-year-old pitcher for the Miami Marlins, was one of three men who died early Sunday morning when his boat crashed into a jetty. Rubio has asked the Coast Guard and Department of the Army to work to improve the visibility of the jetty.
“The jetty in question has been described by many as difficult to see at night, especially during high tides when the structure is submerged,” Rubio wrote in a Wednesday letter. “As a boater myself, I have experienced firsthand the challenges this particular jetty can present to others trying to navigate around it.”
Fernandez’s boat collided with the jetty as they returned to Miami harbor. “It does appear that speed was involved due to the impact,” Lorenzo Veloz, a public information officer with the Florida Wildlife Commission, said Sunday. “There is no indication of alcohol or any kind of illegal drugs involved.”
Fernandez is survived by his mother, grandmother and girlfriend. The couple announced last week that they were expecting a baby. A public memorial service was held for Fernandez on Wednesday.
