RedactedNarrative: On May 14, 2016, I, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Officer along with FWC Lieutenant were conducting water patrol at the confluence of the Suwannee and Santa Fe rivers. At approximately 6:00 PM we observed a black and red bass boat proceed through the slow speed zone at a high rate of speed. As the bass boat passed us one of the passengers frantically yelled something and pointed at a person laying down in the bass boat. I activated the blue lights on my patrol vessel and followed the bass boat east on the Santa Fe River. We made contact with the bass boat as it was being beached at Sandy Point boat ramp and identified it by Florida registration numbers (FL9494FF).
  
  At approximately 6:10PM I made contact with the operator of the vessel. Subject stated that his friend had cut his feet on the propeller. I asked Operator if he wanted an ambulance and he stated no. Operator insisted that his friends were driving him to the hospital in Lake City. Operator was transported to the hospital. I instructed Subject and one of the occupants to remain at Sandy Point so I could interview them.
  
  I first spoke with subject and asked him what happened. Subject stated they were on the Suwannee River near Devil’s Elbow and had beached the vessel on the Lafayette County side of the river. He stated that the vessel began to drift off of the beach. At this time Operator was standing in the starboard side operator’s seat and attempted to drive the vessel back on the beach. When Operator hit the throttle he lost his balance which caused him and Subject2 to fall backwards out the stern of the vessel. Subject stated that when Operator fell into the water his feet were cut by the propeller. They wrapped Operator’s feet with t-shirts and Subject drove the vessel to Sandy Point. Subject stated that he drove through the slow speed zones at high speed because he didn’t know what to do and wanted to get Operator to the hospital as soon as possible.
  
  I then spoke with subject3 and asked him what happened. Subject3 stated that they had beached the vessel on the Suwannee River near Devil’s Elbow. Operator was standing in the starboard side operator’s seat and attempted to beach the vessel on the shore. When Operator hit the throttle he lost his balance and fell out the stern of the vessel. Subject3 stated that both of Operator’s feet hit the propeller and were cut by it.
  
  FWC Lieutenant made contact with Operator and Subject4 at the Lake City Medical Center. Lt. interviewed Operator and Subject4 about the accident and had them provide sworn written statements about the events. In the written statement Operator provided, he states that he was pulling the vessel up after it had washed off the bank. As he was driving the vessel he fell off the stern of the vessel and was struck by the propeller.
  
  Lt. and I proceeded to the area of the accident and were able to identify where a vessel had been driven on the shore at a high rate of speed. I photographed the area and collected GPS points.
  
  Based on the information that was provided to us about the accident I believe the following is the order of events for the vessel accident. Based on the information that was given it appears that the vessel was beached on the Lafayette County side of the Suwannee River near Devil’s Elbow. The vessel was washed off the bank by passing boats. At this time Operator was standing on the starboard side operator’s seat and attempted to drive the vessel back onto the beach. When Operator accelerated the throttle he lost his balance and fell backwards off the stern of the vessel. When Operator fell the vessel was still accelerating and his feet were struck by the vessel propeller which caused lacerations to both feet. 
   
  