On July 13, 2009 at approximately 10:43 a.m., I, Sgt. was contacted by the Iberia Parish Sheriff's Department advising me that they received a report of a boating crash near Avery Island.  I traveled to Avery Landing and picked up two EMT's with Acadian Ambulance.  At approximately 11: 00 a.m. I located the crash victim down Bayou Petite Anse.  His boat was up against the south embankment of the canal and he was laying on the back of his boat, LA 1892 EE.  He had a large laceration on his right leg near his knee.  He was complaining that his lower back was hurting him.  The EMT's and I placed him on a spine board and tranpsorted him to the landing where Acadian Air Med flew him to Southwestern Medical Center.  I returned to the scene of the crash and photographed the boat.  I towed the boat back to the landing and placed it on it's trailer.  Agent traveled to the hospital to collect a blood sample from Operator.
At the scene when I first arrived I spoke to Operator.  I asked him what had happened.  He stated he was traveling down the canal when he hit something under water.  This caused the steering wheel to be jerked from his hand.  He could not stop the boat before it hit the bank and tree.  He stated he flew out of the boat when it hit the bank.  Operator was not wearing a PFD at the time of the crash.
Avery Island                  