PINECREST, Fla. – Friends, family members and Westminster Christian School students and faculty are mourning a 17-year-old who died in a boat crash on Sunday afternoon off the Florida Keys.
Students identified the victim as Lucas Alvarez, a varsity lacrosse team player who was set to graduate from the private school in Palmetto Bay later this year and was preparing to attend the Universal Technical Institute in Orlando.
“We lost the most amazing young man, the most amazing son, brother, nephew, best friend, student, piano prodigy and the love of my life and truly my best friend,” Marla Fay wrote in a public post on Instagram.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission released the incident report on Monday afternoon describing the boat as a Maverick 2008 Pathfinder Bay Boat.
Also involved in the crash was 18-year-old David Castillo along with Nelson Albareda and Andres Campos, both 17 years old.
The three were in the 23-foot boat with Alvarez before the crash happened west of Islamorada, according to the report, but they were not injured.
Officer Robert Dube, a spokesman for the state agency, reported a 17-year-old boy was operating the boat when it collided with a channel marker in the Bowlegs Cuts area, near Lignumvitae Key Botanical State Park. The school’s website listed a varsity lacrosse team player with the same name as the boat operator.
“Three occupants were ejected,” an investigator wrote in the report. “Occupant Alvarez was found in the water with trauma to his lower torso and was recovered from the water. He was given CPR and applied pressure to his injuries.”
Monroe County Sheriff’s Office and Fire Rescue personnel took Alvarez to Mariners Hospital where doctors pronounced him dead, according to the report. The FWC is investigating the cause of the 3:45 p.m. crash involving a red and white.
“All of the members of the FWC want to express our sincere sympathies to the victims and families involved,” Dube wrote in an e-mail.
Dozens of cars were parked outside of the Alvarez family home in Pinecrest on Monday afternoon. Several teenage boys arrived to offer their condolences.
The captain of his lacrosse team, Alvarez wore the #6 jersey and played defense. His next game was supposed to be against Coral Shores High School on Tuesday night in Tavernier, but the school announced on Monday that the games scheduled for this week have been postponed.
According to the school’s announcement, students are set to return to school on Wednesday, administrators are organizing a special assembly for high school students and faculty, and therapists will be available for small group counseling sessions.
“Please join us in praying for the Alvarez family and for all those grieving the loss of Lucas,” the school’s spokesperson wrote in the statement.
Local 10 News reporter Andrew Perez and Local10.com producer Anabelle Caceres contributed to this story.