On september 9, 2013, at approximately 10:00am, operator launched his vessel from glenburnie park in new bern.  The weather conditions for that day were mostly sunny skies with low wind and the temperature in the mid eighties.  Operator intentions were to run his boat to make sure the repairs he had made to the motor were working correctly.  After departing from glenburnie park, he traveled south east down the neuse river for approximately twenty miles before turning around near the cherry point marine corps base.  While making his return trip, he stopped at a river side gas pump approximately three miles south of glenburnie park.  Up until this point operator had been wearing his uscg approved type three pfd, in addition to his engine cut off switch that was attached to his right wrist.  At approximately 12:15pm, operator had finished fueling his boat and then proceeded to return to glenburnie park.  I note that operator was no longer wearing his pfd, nor was the engine cut off lanyard attached to his wrist.  I also note that operator' pfd was situated between his legs.  
After traveling a distance of approximately one and a half miles and having passed through the southern railroad bridge gate, operator turned around to his left side to see if the water pump was working on the engine.  He braced himself with his left arm extended backwards resting on the center portion of the rear fishing platform, while his right hand was fixed on the steering wheel.  At approximately 12:20pm, operator released the steering wheel, which then turned abruptly to the right.  The boat also made a sudden turn to the right causing operator to be ejected from his seated position.  Upon his ejection from the boat, his left arm sustained a separated fracture to his superior portion of the ulna bone (elbow), minor bruising/adema, and an approximately eight inch laceration to the epidermis on the posterior side of the upper arm, as it made contact with the passenger seat situated to his left.  Operator exited the boat on the port, left, side at about the mid point.  While operator was still under water, the boat circled back to his location.  He was then struck on his left arm by the stabilizer fin of the outboard engine causing a one inch long laceration slightly medial to the previously mentioned laceration.  It was at this point that operator began to make an effort to swim to shore and out of the path of the circling boat.  Witness, who was on his back porch approximately a half mile north of the incident stated that he "heard an engine rev up like it had turned really fast".  At approximately 12:29 pm, subject spotted operator' boat traveling in circles.  A call was then placed to 911 and subject launched his pwc and proceeded to the location of the incident.  When subject arrived on the scene at approximately 12:31 pm, the boat was still under power and circling in a clock wise direction.  Subject described operator as extremely exhausted as he was going below the surface of the water and resurfacing for air.  Subject then transported operator to the shore where ems were waiting.  Operator was then transported to the emergency room at carolina east medical center in new bern.
NEW BERN