RedactedNarrative: V1 was traveling south on the ICW in the area of ICW Channel Marker 48. At one point V1 changed course to the east and left the waterway driving up onto a barrier island east of the ICW. As it left the water V1 entered a heavily wooded section under speed that propelled it until its forward progress was stopped by trees and brush. V1 traveled completely into the woods and was barely visible from the shoreline. Upon impact, the two occupants of V1 who were standing behind the center console area were both thrown forward and down into the forward floorboard.
  
  For unknow reasons the operator of V1 failed to make any efforts to contact authorities. Occupant 1 (Oc-1) had low battery power on her cellular telephone; however, was able to text a relative who subsequently notified proper authorities. 
  
  There was a concerted effort by other acquaintances of the operator to minimize the severity of the incident and thwart progress of the response and subsequent investigation. This is evidenced throughout this report and also within the FWC Computer Aided Dispatch report of this call. 
  
  As this was unfolding this officer first responded to the area by land and surveyed the scene. A USCG response vessel had arrived on-scene and was searching the island for other possible victims. Both occupants of V1 left the scene unbeknownst to first responders. Once this was learned I traveled to their location to interview them. I first encountered Oc-1 who gave the following account of the incident:
  
  Oc-1 states that she boarded the vessel at JB's Fish Camp in Bethune Beach, Florida and was planning to be dropped at a boat ramp in Edgewater. Prior to embarking she observed the operator of V1 consuming at least 3 Busch light beers at JB’s after her arrival between 1330-1400 hrs. 
  
  While underway Oc-1 was seated at the right and just behind the operator who was at the helm. At one point Oc-1 observed the operator coming near mangroves outside of navigational markers as they were coming out of a turn and vocalized her concern. 
  
  Oc-1 did not observe what the operator was doing as she was looking forward and could only see the back of the operator’s head. Oc-1 next recalls being thrown violently forward and down into the forward floorboard landing on-top of the operator. Oc-1 sustained a large contusion to her left side of her forehead, small laceration to lower right leg, cut lip & bruising on her body. Oc-1 was checked by Edgewater Fire/Rescue but refused treatment as she was concerned with incurring costs. 
  
  The operator was interviewed next and started with stating that his steering had been locking up. Operator advises that he launched from the Edgewater Boat Ramp between 12:00pm and 1:00pm. Operator states that he could not operate the steering at first but freed it and ultimately decided to continue with his voyage in-spite of the steering issues.
  
  The first couple renditions of the operator’s story left out Oc-1 being aboard the vessel and the accident completely. I had to repeatedly pull basic information from the operator. The operator then states that Oc-1 boarded the vessel at an area known as “Three Sisters.” The operator continued to leave out large gaps of the incident and again I had to advise him to tell the truth. The operator was attempting to avoid the fact that he picked up Oc-1 at JB’s and when confronted with the fact that he was drinking alcohol at JB’s he denied drinking on his trip at all. Furthermore, the operator advised when he got to his friends house he began to drink because he was nervous.
  