Four subjects were on a narrow airboat trail traveling north, approximately 1.14 miles north of Spade Island on the Upper St. Johns River management area.  While negotiating a subtle turn in the trail, the operator clipped the base of a tree with the port side of V1, close to the transom.  After the initial impact, the operator lost control of V1, and collided with a tree approximately 50' from the first point of impact.  V1 rolled to its starboard side in the secondary collision, ejecting all four occupants.  Three of the occupants received non-life threatening injuries, while the fourth occupant injured his spinal cord, and remains in the intensive care unit as of the date of this report.


The operator injured his lower lip when he was ejected from V1 in the collision.  He was treated and released from the hospital emergency room.; v4:Subject was admitted to the hospital, and remains in the intensive care unit as of the date of this report.  He has a spinal cord injury that is causing paralysis to his upper body.  He spent the first several days after the collision on a ventilator.  He is not yet able to talk, and has recently contracted a MRSA infection.  v1 also has blood clots in his legs. v1 was transferred to the Shepard Center in Atlanta, GA for continuing rehabilitation on 2/24/12.  He remains listed in critical condition.; v2:Subject was wearing safety goggles.  He was struck in the face by an unknown object when he was ejected from V1.  The impact to the goggles caused lacerations to his nose and cheek bone below his eye.  He received approximately 7 stitches in the emergency room.  The subject was discharged from the emergency room the same night as the collision.; v3:Subject injured his right leg and knee when he was ejected from V1.  It is unknown if the injuries were caused by V1, or a fixed object on the shoreline.  The subject was admitted to the hospital and released the day after the collision.
MELBOURNE                     