A spring-break style boat party on Lake Boca has turned into a high-stakes courtroom drama in West Palm Beach, where a bench trial opened Monday, March 9, 2026, for Boca Raton resident Cole Goldberg, 26. Prosecutors say Goldberg tried to drown his then-girlfriend, Miami talent agent Caroline Schwitzky, during the 2022 Boca Bash, and have charged him with attempted murder and domestic battery. Goldberg has pleaded not guilty and waived his right to a jury, leaving Circuit Judge John J. Parnofiello as the sole decider of his fate. If convicted on the most serious charge, prosecutors say he could face up to 20 years in prison.
Prosecutors’ account
Assistant State Attorney Victoria Suarez told the court that Goldberg and Schwitzky had been drinking on the water when an argument erupted and escalated. Suarez said Goldberg came up behind Schwitzky, grabbed her by the shoulder and neck, and pushed her under the water, according to CourtTV.
Witnesses on nearby boats described a chaotic scene that stretched on for roughly 20 minutes. One bystander, identified as Matt Paris, reportedly dove into the water and pulled Schwitzky away from Goldberg while another boater used a pole to keep Goldberg from climbing back aboard, as reported by Fox News.
Defense paints a different picture
Goldberg’s attorney, Heidi Perlet, offered a starkly different version of events. She told the judge that Goldberg was exhausted, disoriented and fighting a strong current, arguing that any contact with Schwitzky in the water was an involuntary reflex, not an attempt to kill her. Calling the case devastating for her client, Perlet said, “This woman, unfortunately, destroyed his life and brought us to why we are here today,” according to reporting by The Palm Beach Post.
Perlet also attacked the credibility of witnesses and pointed to photographs she says show no bruising on Schwitzky’s neck. The defense team, according to the outlet, had earlier turned down a plea offer that would have included six months in jail and a 500-word written apology.
The woman at the center
Schwitzky is a Miami talent agent who appeared on TLC’s 2016 season of “90 Day Fiancé: Happily Ever After?” and later took to social media and media interviews to share her account of what she says happened in the water that day. She subsequently filed a civil lawsuit seeking more than $30,000. Coverage has noted her online following and her post-incident media appearances – details the defense has seized on as evidence of potential motive, as outlined by IBTimes…