SARASOTA, Fla. (WWSB) – New details are emerging from a Sarasota Police Department report on the personal watercraft crash June 15 involving three minor-league baseball players in the Baltimore Orioles organization.
Two of the players were initially detained by police and one was advised of his Miranda rights after saying he was involved in the collision, the report shows.
Two players on the current roster of the organization’s Florida Complex League team were involved in the crash. One player, 19-year-old infielder Luis Guevara, suffered internal and brain trauma, police said. Guevara later died, the Orioles announced late Tuesday night.
The other FCL Oriole, pitcher Jesus Palacios, 20, and Miguel Rodriguez, 19, a catcher on the 60-day injured list currently assigned to the Orioles’ single-A level Delmarva Shorebirds, suffered minor injuries.
A fourth person, 20-year-old Keiver Jose Guillen Reatiga of Bradenton, suffered facial fractures and lung damage, police said. His relationship to the players was not disclosed.
Officers responded to a call about a crash near Ted Sperling Park at South Lido Beach at 8:05 p.m. Sunday.
According to reports filed by Sarasota Police officers obtained by ABC7:
Officer arrived to a chaotic scene as bystanders yelled for assistance. They found two injured males — Guevara and Reatiga — on the beach and began assisting in first aid. Bystanders told police the watercraft involved had been ridden away.
As the injured victims were taken to ambulances, Palacios and Rodriguez were spotted riding the watercraft near the 10th Street boat ramp and were detained.
“Initially, they acted like they were unaware of the crash, and advised that they would provide their identification,” one officer’s report said. “Shortly after making this request, one of the subjects that came in on the jet skis made a statement to the effect of ‘it was me,’”
“Assuming that this rider was admitting to hit-and-run, I read him his Miranda Rights prior to questioning.” The narrative describing statements by the subject after he was read his rights were redacted.
Police say Rodriguez and Palacios told them they had rented the jet skis from a local individual. Reatiga and Guevara were riding one of the watercraft rented jet skis, while they were riding the second one.
Rodriguez and Palacios were riding toward Reatiga and Guevara when they hit a wave which caused their watercraft to launch into the air.
With control completely lost, Rodriguez and Palacios bailed off the jet ski. While the jet ski was in the air, it struck Reatiga and Guevara, causing them to fall off the craft and into the water. While all four individuals were in the water.
A nearby boat came to provide aid and get them out of the water to bring them all to shore, the report noted.
The report concludes by saying Palacios and Rodriguez were detained until officers from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission took over the investigation.
ABC7 attempted several times Wednesday to contact FWC for additional information but never received a reply.
The police report can be read below:
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