RedactedNarrative: On 04/13/2018, at approximately 1620 hours EST, Vessel 1 (V1) was being operated by victim in a northeasterly direction on the Little Saint Marks River in Franklin County, FL.  V1 was a 2013 24' Pathfinder center console open vessel powered by a 300 hp Yamaha outboard motor.  Operator’s wife, was an occupant positioned next to Operator to his right.  
  
  Operator and Occupant departed Bay City Lodge located just off of the Apalachicola River and proceeded towards the Four Tree Cutoff which connects the Apalachicola River to the Little Saint Marks River.  Operator turned left coming out of Four Tree Cutoff and started heading northerly on the Little Saint Marks River.  Operator brought V1 up to cruising speed at approximately 35-40 mph.
  
  As he was operating the vessel approximately 1/2 to 1/4 of a mile north of the Four Tree Cutoff, he became distracted.  According to a statement later obtained by Occupant, Operator was showing her a cupholder on the console of the vessel while they were underway.  The statement went on to say that Operator was showing her how it would 'unfold' where it would hold two drinks.  About that time, Occupant noticed they were headed towards the shoreline and trees.  That's when she yelled.  Operator did not have time to correct his direction of travel and V1 struck the eastern shoreline / bank of the Little Saint Marks River.  V1's front starboard (right) side was the main point of impact causing significant damage to the vessel and the force was great enough to eject both the operator and occupant over the starboard side.  Operator and Occupant struck some trees at the impact location before they came to rest on the ground near the water's edge.
  
  The impact caused V1 to make an immediate and hard left hand turn and continue back out into the river with nobody on board.  Since the operator was not attached to a lanyard or 'kill switch' when he was ejected, the vessel stayed in this left hand turn while under power.  The vessel continued this 'loop' until it came back around and clipped some additional trees also on the eastern shoreline of the river.  V1 proceeded on, completing it's 'loop', and subsequently ran aground on the western shoreline / bank of the river.
  
  Operator died at the scene.  Occupant was admitted to Bay Medical / Sacred Heart Hospital for treatment of her injuries.
  
  
  Operator: As a result of being ejected out of Vessel 1 and impact with some trees, he suffered fatal head and torso trauma according to the Medical Examiner's office autopsy report. 
  
  Occupant was taken to Bay Medical Center / Sacred Heart Hospital in Panama City, FL. as a result of her injuries from striking some trees after being ejected from the vessel she was an occupant in.  Her injuries included head trauma, punctured lung, lacerated liver, fractured right shoulder, and broken ribs.  She was admitted to the hospital and underwent multiple surgeries to repair the damages.
  