On 3/25/12 at approximately 1130 am V1 was traveling south on the ICW in St. Johns county. There were 4 persons on board V1, the operator seated behind the steering console at the wheel , passenger1 seated to the immediate right of operator behind the center console, passenger2 seated in a padded seating area to the left and behind the operator, and passenger3 seated on a padded seat at the bow of the 22ft power  vessel. Approximately 3/4 of a mile south of the Palm Valley S.R. 210 Bridge V1 encountered a large wake originating from a vessel about 40ft in length. When V1 crossed the large wake passenger1 fell forward into the center console injuring his left knee (cracked patella). passenge3 fell from her seated position in the bow of V1 onto the deck of the boat contacting the deck with her face, head, and upper torso. Passenger1’s received a contusion/laceration to the left side of her face around her eye as well as fractures to her cheek bone in those areas. The victims were transported by St. Johns Co. Fire Rescue from the Palm Valley Boat Ramp to Baptist Hospital at Jacksonville Beach and were released several hours later. The operator and occupants were unable to provide any further information to identify the 40ft vessel other than its direction of travel. A vessel traveling behind V1 stopped to assist the occupants of V1 after the incident. The occupants of V1 could not provide any contact information or identification for the vessel or operator of the Samaritan vessel that stopped and assisted them to the Palm Valley Boat Ramp. The incident was probably caused by wake from vessel traffic congestion and not by a violation of a navigation rule by the operator of V1.; passenger1 broke his left patella when he contacted the center console of V1.; passenger3 received a contusion/laceration to the left side of her face as well as fractures to her jaw when she fell in V1.
PALM VALLEY                   