RedactedNarrative: On February 5, 2017 at 11:29 PM Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission received a complaint from U.S. Coast Guard Sector Miami in reference to a Personal Watercraft (PWC) found drifting in the area of the Intracoastal Waterways (ICW) and the Julia Tuttle Bridge. When the PWC was first observed by a Tow Boat US Captain the vessel exhibited extensive damage to its port side and bow. Additionally, floating debris still surrounded the vessel. A Miami-Dade Fire Rescue (MDFR) boat responded to the scene and initiated search patterns in the vicinity of the bridge. Within a short period of time MDFR recovered the body of a Hispanic male near the drifting vessel. It was later confirmed that he was the only person on board. 
  
  The victim was identified. An autopsy completed at the Miami-Dade County Medical Examiner Department determined that the cause of death was blunt force head injury with terminal submersion in water. Additionally, the toxicology report revealed that Operator had an ethanol concentration of 0.160% (blood) and 0.183% (ocular) as well as 0.488 mg/L of cocaine (blood). 
  
  On February 5, 2017 Operator left Pelican Harbor Boat Ramp shortly before the accident in an effort to contact his friends (who were underway on a separate boat). Operator intended to recover his car keys and wallet. Operator and his girlfriend had spent the day in the water together. But, upon returning to the boat ramp, already after sunset, (sunset time: 6:08 PM)  both realized that their car keys and wallets were forgotten on their friend's boat. According to Girlfriend, she asked Operator not to return to the water and gave him different options but since he was unable to make contact with his friends, he insisted and got underway from the boat ramp. This occurred a few minutes before 10:00 PM. See attached sworn written statement provided by Girlfriend. 
  
  An extensive search of the area was conducted in an effort to located the exact point of impact. All day beacons/markers within close proximity of the bridge were inspected as well as a closely located "Slow Speed Manatee Zone" sign. We search for any marks or indications of impact with negative results. However, due to the close proximity of the PWC to the bridge at the time that it was found and the immediacy of the debris to the floating vessel, it is possible that the impact occurred near the span of the bridge positioned directly west of the ICW, where the vessel was initially observed drifting. 
  
  The operator of the Personal Watercraft (PWC) involved in the accident suffered the following fatal injuries after a collision with an unknown fixed object at a high rate of speed on February 5, 2017 at approximately 10:00PM:  Blunt injuries of head and neck: Abrasions of face and neck; laceration of face; subscalpular hemorrhage and subdural and subarachnoid hemorrhage.   Blunt injuries of torso: Abrasions of chest and abdomen; right rib fractures; bilateral hemothoraces and small lacerations of liver.   Blunt injuries of extremities: Abrasions and lacerations; fractures of left distal femur; fractures of left tibial head.   Froth in mouth and trachea; bilateral pulmonary edema and fluid in sphenoid sinus.   This information was obtained from the autopsy report completed by the Miami-Dade County Medical Examiner Department. 
  