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A Florida man once accused of trying to drown his then girlfriend, a “90 Day Fiancé” personality, during a chaotic South Florida boat party has been acquitted of all charges, ending a nearly four-year legal battle.
Cole Goldberg, who was charged with attempted second-degree murder, domestic battery by strangulation and simple battery, was found not guilty on March 12 following a bench trial in Palm Beach County tied to a 2022 incident at Boca Bash, a massive annual boating event in Lake Boca Raton.
Goldberg, speaking after the verdict, described the moment as life-changing.
“After nearly four years of living under these accusations, of course the court found me not guilty on all accounts. I’m extremely, incredibly grateful for my attorneys, my family, basically everyone who supported me throughout this whole process. It was just an amazing experience. I could breathe now. It was a huge relief and weight off my shoulders,” Goldberg told Fox News Digital.
‘90 DAY FIANCÉ’ ALUM’S BOYFRIEND ON TRIAL FOR ATTEMPTED MURDER OVER WILD ‘BOCA BASH’ ACCUSATIONS
Prosecutors alleged that Goldberg attacked his then-girlfriend, Caroline Schwitzky, during an argument aboard a boat at Boca Bash on April 24, 2022. Schwitzky, a Miami talent agent, appeared on “90 Day Fiancé: Happily Ever After?” as the agent for cast member Paola Mayfield.
The Boca Bash is an annual alcohol-fueled gathering that draws thousands of boaters each year.
According to investigators and witness accounts, Schwitzky jumped into the water during the dispute and attempted to swim to another vessel. Authorities alleged Goldberg followed her and tried to drown her before a bystander intervened.
But Goldberg argued that the situation was “chaotic” and misinterpreted.
“It was definitely a chaotic situation on the water. I couldn’t swim. I was struggling in the water from the outside. Some people thought they were seeing something and misperceived something more serious than what actually happened. And that perception ultimately led to these kind of charges,” he said.
During his trial, Goldberg testified that he entered the water to reach Schwitzky and help get her back to safety after securing a ride off the boat but quickly began to panic in the current.
“I just felt like I was drowning and thought I was potentially going to die. It was the scariest thing I’ve ever experienced,” he said.
He said that any contact with his then-girlfriend was brief.
“I just touched her shoulder for one to two seconds just to keep my head above water, and this is when I had all these accusations happen. It’s very unfortunate,” he said.
“There was zero intent at all to do any harm, and these accusations were just ridiculous,” he said.
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The case ultimately turned on conflicting eyewitness testimony. Goldberg said even witnesses who observed the same incident walked away with different interpretations.
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“These eyewitnesses ended up seeing sort of the same thing, but also something different, and perception played a big role in the outcome,” he said.
The judge found the evidence insufficient to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, resulting in acquittal on all counts.
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Goldberg said the years between his arrest and trial disrupted career plans.
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“This definitely put a pause on my career. I was just graduating from university at the time. I was 23 when things had happened. My plans to go to law school derailed. All my friends were just moving forward while I was dealing with this case and accusations,” he said.
“The whole system is supposed to be innocent until proven guilty, but it’s sort of reversed in the public eye. With all these headlines and mugshots, people formulate opinions, and I had to deal with those opinions throughout this whole four-year process,” he said.
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Now at 27, Goldberg said he plans to pursue a legal career and begin studying for the LSAT.
“I feel like I can resonate with future clients given that I was physically in this position,” he said.
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Fox News Digital has reached out to Schwitzky’s attorney and Assistant State Attorney Victoria Suarez for comment.
Fox News Digital’s Louis Casiano Jr. contributed to this report.
