LAKE WORTH, Fla. – A South Florida man faces a charge of boating under the influence after the dinghy that he was operating overturned and sank, sending him and two children into the Intracoastal Waterway, deputies said.
Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office deputies were called to the water rescue on New Year's Day in Lake Worth.
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According to a probable cause affidavit, Fernandes was sitting on the ground when a deputy questioned him about what happened.
Fernandes was argumentative and his words were slurred, according to the report.
When the deputy asked him where the boat was, Fernandes answered, "It doesn't matter."
Fernandes told the deputy that he was operating the boat when it "just went down," according to the report.
Three other people, including two girls, were on the boat at the time.
When the deputy asked Fernandes if he would consent to a roadside sobriety test, he refused, put his hands behind his back and told the deputy, "Put them on," the report said.
A passenger told the deputy that a large wave caused the 12-foot dinghy to fill with water and sink.
Fernandes was also cited for not having any life jackets on the boat. He was released from jail on his own recognizance the next day.