On October 12, 2013 at 1120 hours Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (Herein FWC) dispatch center in Orlando was notified that an airboat had collided with a concrete bridge piling under the SR 528 Bridge at the St. Johns River in Brevard County and the operator was missing.  Multiple units from FWC, Brevard County Sheriff's Office (Herein BCSO), and Brevard County Fire Rescue were dispatched to the scene.   The vessel, a 13 foot homemade airboat bearing Florida registration FL 1857 MZ (Herein V-1), was being operated with no one else on board.  V-1 was travelling southbound under the bridge when it collided with a concrete bridge piling on the north east side of the bridge.  The force of the collision and angle of impact ejected Operator overboard and into a concrete bridge piling.  On October 13, 2013 at 0834 hours Operator's body was recovered at the point of impact next to a concrete bridge piling in 9 feet of water by the BCSO Dive Team.   The Brevard County Medical Examiner's Office, report 13-588, autopsy revealed the cause of death was drowning by accident.     

The cause of death was determined to be drowning by accident. •	Deep laceration at the left eyebrow that extended to the skull •	Broken nose •	Both eyes showed bruising. •	Abrasions covering left side of nose, cheek, and chin •	Laceration to left side of nose mid way between the nostrils and eye line. •	Deep lacerations inside lips at center line. •	Left side of chest had vertical abrasions and bruising in the area below the nipple line to the stomach •	Right Knee had a deep laceration with skin removal and surrounding abrasions. •	Left Knee had abrasion on the inside of the knee. •	Right ankle had a deep horizontal laceration on the inside.  •	Right hand had scratches on the middle finger joints. •	Left elbow had an abrasion  •	Left side ribs 2 through 6 were broken. •	Left lobe of the liver was lacerated. •	ME technician reported a strong odor of alcoholic beverage when the body bag was opened.
COCOA