MIAMI (AP) — An attorney for the late Miami Marlins pitcher Jose Fernandez says he was unfairly blamed by investigators for the 2016 crash that killed him and two others.
The Sun Sentinel reports that attorney Ralph Fernandez made the argument in a legal filing meant to defend the pitcher’s estate from a civil lawsuit.
The Monday filing accuses Florida wildlife agency investigators of prematurely concluding that Jose Fernandez was responsible and then altering or ignoring evidence to the contrary. That investigation found that Fernandez was operating his boat when it hit a Miami Beach jetty in September 2016.
“After depositions began there was external tampering by law enforcement agents and a disassociation from the very conclusions sworn to and ratified by others in a chain of command,” the filing said. “Like a house of cards, this whole case is compromised.”
An attorney for the estates of 27-year-old Emilio Macias and 25-year-old Eduardo Rivero says there’s no evidence either of them were operating the vessel.
The state wildlife agency declined to comment on the filing.
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