In a startling incident on Stuart Beach in Florida, a woman nearly lost her life in an attempted drowning, allegedly carried out by Said Alexander Hernandez-Gonzalez, a 26-year-old undocumented immigrant from Venezuela. According to NBC Miami, the attack occurred late on Thursday night when the victim was taking a solitary walk to "clear her head." Hernandez-Gonzalez has been charged with attempted first-degree premeditated murder.
Local law enforcement responded to the incident at around 11 p.m. on Thursday, February 12. Martin County Sheriff John Budensiek emphasized the randomness and severity of the attack, quoting, "Random acts of violence like this are some of the most difficult crimes to solve — and that's exactly what this was." As the victim walked north along the shoreline, the assailant struck from behind, leading to a brutal altercation that saw her being forcibly submerged in the ocean. Sheriff Budensiek recounted the harrowing details in an interview provided to CBS12, stating the victim was "grabbed around the throat, dragged into the ocean, and held down as she struggled to break free."
Authorities state that Hernandez-Gonzalez believed he had killed the woman, leaving her unconscious by the water's edge. In a dramatic turn of events, the victim regained consciousness, managing to crawl out of the water and find help, despite being severely injured. The break in the case came through a seemingly unrelated call on Sunday, February 15, when Port St. Lucie Police were alerted to a man, later identified as Hernandez-Gonzalez, claiming to have committed a murder on the beach.
Hernandez-Gonzalez reportedly admitted to feeling rage at the sight of the victim using her phone, presuming she was recording him. "He admitted he smacked the phone out of her hand, pulled her into the ocean, and tried to drown her," Sheriff Budensiek told CBS12. The suspect expressed no remorse when informed that his victim had survived, responding coldly, "No. I don’t feel nothing." As the investigation unfolded, Hernandez-Gonzalez was arrested and held without bond at Martin County Jail.
Authorities said incidents of this nature are uncommon but deeply unsettling for the community. While the victim survived, officials noted the case underscores the unpredictable risks that can arise in public spaces. Sheriff Budensiek said the case was solved after a concerned citizen contacted authorities during a mental health emergency. NBC Miami and CBS12 reported extensively on the incident, detailing the events that unfolded that night at Stuart Beach.
