In the middle of September 2013 I officer was contacted by Hillsborough County Marine Safety Unit advising me that a vessel had struck the channel marker in the Apollo Beach channel. At that time they only had the name off of the vessel of MISS FITZ. After further investigation from the Marine Safety Unit they found the owner.

I stopped by Operator house trying to make contact with him but nobody answered the door. I then left my business card on his door with my phone number asking to call me about the accident. Operator called me and I asked if he had been involved in an accident with his vessel and told me that he was involved with the accident and that he hit the channel marker. At that time I was conducting an investigation for a possible fail to report an accident. I advised operator that I would be in contact with him to get further information. 

On 11-13-13 I contacted US Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg to see if the accident was reported by operator that same day. USCG did confirm that operator called them and reported the accident to them on the same day. USCG never reported the accident to FWC. 

On 11-17-13 I contacted Operator to get more information about the accident. Below is account of what happened.

On September 8th the vessel owned and operated by operator was traveling South East into the Apollo Beach channel. As the vessel approached channel marker # 2 operator stated the auto pilot on the vessel engaged causing the vessel to steer to the starboard side. operator tried turning the wheel back to the left while trying to disengage the auto pilot. The auto pilot would not disengage and that caused the vessel to have a collision with the channel marker and knocking it over completely submerging it under water.
APOLLO BEACH