Authorities say he struck a 21-year-old swimmer in Biscayne Bay and left without stopping to help.
MIAMI, FL — A California man was arrested after investigators said he struck a 21-year-old woman who was swimming in Biscayne Bay near Miami Marine Stadium on Saturday evening, then left the area without trying to help her or calling authorities.
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officers identified the suspect as Andy Vences, 34, of Los Banos, California. He was booked on a felony charge of leaving the scene of a vessel accident involving injury without reporting it. The case drew attention in Miami because it happened in one of the city’s busiest boating corridors and followed several other serious marine incidents in Biscayne Bay in recent weeks. As of Monday, officials had not released the woman’s name or described her condition in detail, leaving key questions about the extent of her injuries unanswered.
Investigators said the collision happened at about 7 p.m. Saturday near Miami Marine Stadium on Virginia Key, a stretch of water long known for powerboat activity, personal watercraft traffic and large event crowds. According to authorities, the woman was in the water when a personal watercraft driven by Vences hit her. Officers said he did not stop at the scene, did not try to give aid and did not call 911. Instead, they said, he left the area as witnesses reacted to what had happened. Miami-Dade County Area Capt. Rafael Almagro later said, “There is no excuse for leaving the scene of an accident.” He added that officers were able to move quickly and identify the suspect so he could “be held accountable.” By Saturday evening, Vences had been arrested and taken to jail.
The identification, officials said, came from a mix of eyewitness accounts and video collected after the crash. That detail became central to the case because investigators have not publicly described a long pursuit on the water or a self-report from the operator. Instead, the account released by law enforcement points to other people at the scene helping officers piece together who was operating the personal watercraft. Authorities have not said whether the watercraft was rented or privately owned, whether anyone else was riding with Vences, or how fast the craft was moving before impact. They also have not said whether alcohol, drugs or distraction are suspected factors. Those gaps matter because each could shape whether additional charges are considered as the investigation moves forward. For now, the only charge announced publicly is the felony count tied to leaving the scene without rendering aid or reporting the injury.
The location adds to the case’s visibility. Miami Marine Stadium, on the edge of Biscayne Bay, was built as a venue for powerboat racing and remains closely tied to the city’s history on the water. The area around it still draws recreational boaters and personal watercraft operators, especially on weekends, when traffic can intensify quickly near swim areas and gathering spots. State boating records show Florida continues to log hundreds of reportable accidents each year, and FWC has kept annual accident reports that track injuries, fatalities and personal watercraft crashes statewide. In South Florida, marine safety has been under sharper public scrutiny after several recent high-profile incidents in Biscayne Bay, including a fatal hit-and-run involving a father and his teenage son in late March and a separate deadly crash that threw two people from a boat. Those cases are separate from the Vences investigation, but together they have kept attention fixed on enforcement and accountability on the bay.
Under Florida law, operators involved in a vessel accident that causes injury must give all possible aid, make a reasonable effort to locate affected people and notify the proper law enforcement agency without delay. The statute makes leaving the scene of an accident involving injury that is not classified as serious bodily injury a third-degree felony. In bond court Sunday, prosecutors said Vences had prior arrests in 2013 and 2014, according to local television reporting, though the public reports did not detail those earlier cases. NBC6 reported that his bond was set at $7,500 and that he later posted it. By Monday morning, he was no longer listed in the online jail database reviewed by local media. A lawyer representing Vences argued in court that he wanted to return to his business, according to Local 10, which reported that records tied him to a boxing gym. Local outlets also described him as a retired professional boxer.
Even with an arrest made within hours, the case still left an unsettled scene behind. Witnesses near the stadium area helped fill in the first moments after the collision, and video became a key part of what investigators say allowed them to act quickly. Officials have not released body-camera footage, marine patrol video or a probable cause affidavit with a fuller narrative of the crash, so much of the public picture still rests on the short statements issued by law enforcement and local court updates. The woman’s identity has not been made public, and no family statement had been released by Monday. That left the human toll visible mostly through the basic outline of the allegation: a young swimmer in the bay, a sudden impact from a passing watercraft and a suspect accused of taking off instead of stopping. For waterfront communities around Miami, the case is another reminder of how fast a recreational outing can turn into a criminal investigation.
The case stood Monday with Vences out of jail and facing the felony charge as investigators continued to withhold details about the victim’s injuries and any possible next steps. The next public milestone is likely a court appearance or the release of additional charging documents.
Author note: Last updated April 7, 2026.