Vessel number one (V1) a Yamaha Personal Watercraft (PWC) was cruising on Econfina Creek in northern Bay county.
The location was above the County Road 388 bridge.  While on plane and maneuvering around a bend in the creek, V1 struck a semi-submerged dead fall log. Upon impact, V1 glanced off the dead fall and continued under power into the heavily wooded shoreline. Several limbs and branches were impacted, and both operator and occupant were ejected from the PWC. Subject2 sustained serious injury when the force of the collision caused him to be pushed into the steering column area of the craft. Operator1 sustained several lacerations to face, head, and jaw. Occupant3 was uninjured. ; Operator’s injuries included head, face, and upper torso contusions and lacerations. Some of the injuries required staples and stitching. ; Occupant2 was a passenger onboard PWC.  His seated position was first of three onboard in line, one behind the other.  The collision caused occupant’s face to impact the steering column, accompanied with occupant weight transfer post impact, exacerbated the force applied to injury.  occupanat was treated onscene by EMS, transported to local hospital for further treatment, and subsequently life flighted to Shands hospital in Gainesville, Florida. subject spent several days in intensive care and was released.
UNINCORPORATED