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Man Accused of Throwing Woman Off Boat, Holding Her Down in River in Fort Lauderdale

A South Florida man accused of throwing a woman off a boat and then holding her down in the water is facing an attempted murder charge, authorities said.

Jean-Paul Pienaar, 36, is also facing a charge of battery resulting in great bodily harm following his arrest in Fort Lauderdale Sunday.

According to the Broward County prosecutor, Pienaar knew the woman couldn't swim but pushed her off a boat into the New River and then held her down, preventing her from coming to the surface. He also used a pole to force her down in the water, the prosecutor said.

Piennar finally let the woman up after witnesses began yelling at him to stop, the prosecutor said.

Pienaar appeared in court Monday where he was ordered held on $200,000 bond. He declined a public defender and it wasn't immediately clear if he hired an attorney.

If Pienaar posts bond, he'll have to wear a GPS monitor and stay away from the woman.

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