RedactedNarrative: On 9/4/15, at 2040 hrs, V1 was found unoccupied and doing circles near Grass Lake in Choctawhatchee Bay.  USCG Destin responded to the scene and began a search.  FWC was notified at 2303 hrs. Victim was found deceased near shore from that location.  Preliminary evidence showed at some time V1 had impact with an unpermitted private aid to navigation in the area. 
  
  For further see attached narrative.
  
  PRE-ACCIDENT (Collision) – 
      At dusk, V1 left Lulu's restaurant which is on the south shore of Choctawhatchee Bay east of the Midbay Bridge. At this time it was only occupied by the Operator. Once west of the Midbay Bridge, V1 turned and headed across the bay on an almost due north heading at approximately 25 MPH.  As V1 approached the northern shore in the area of Grass Lake it started to slow and turn slightly to the east. At a point approximately 280 feet from the marker for Grass Lake at about 12 MPH the GPS turned off. At this point V1 had a collision course with the marker at an impact angle of approximately 359 degrees (plus or minus 10 degrees).
  ACCIDENT (Collision) – 
      In 12 feet of water on a northerly heading, V1's bow struck the marker just port of the centerline.  V1 turned to starboard and the Operator was separated from the vessel.  V1's port side made contact again with pole approximately 16 inches down the rub rail.  The rub rail stayed in contact with the pole leaving rub rail transfer for approximately 10 feet. At that point the yaw of V1 caused by the release of the steering wheel and V1 motor torque forced the port chine to make contact with the pole just above the water line and that contact / transfer continued to the stern of V1.  V1, due to an improperly adjusted torque tab, immediately started making right hand circles, and drifting to the east/northeast until being stopped by USCG and Sea Tow.  Drift speed and number of circles is unknown as the GPS had not been powered back up.  Due to the location that the operator's flashlight was found, it is believed the operator started to swim north from the pole towards the nearest point of shore while holding the flashlight.
  POST ACCIDENT (Collision) -   
      V1 continued north east in increasingly tight right hand turns to the point of cavitation before being stopped.  The  Operator swam north until dropping the flashlight at a point 200 yards north of the pole in 7 feet of water. At some point from that spot to shore the Operator succumbed to drowning.  Reporting parties recovered the flashlight and turned it over to Law Enforcement as well as the location it was found and searched the immediate area for any other sign of the Operator.  A second Good Samaritan vessel went to try and assist in the search with USCG and Sea Tow.  FWC and Okaloosa SO Vessels arrived and continued the search.  The Operator's Spouse arrived at the complaint location and shortly after found the Victim just off the dock of the original complainant.  
  CONCLUSIONS
      Based on evidence and information to date, V1 was headed on a collision course with the marker out from Grass Lake when the GPS stopped working.  The Operator of V1 slowed but continued until V1 impacted the pole and was separated from the vessel.  The Operator was not wearing a PFD and was unable to make it to shore before drowning.  V1 continued to circle to starboard until it was stopped by responding units.
   