On June 10th, 2023, at approximately 1310 hours, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) received a call for service regarding a boating accident bayside of mile-marker 95 where an operator fell out of his vessel and the vessel continued in motion.
I, along with FWC Officer arrived on scene where we found a good Samaritan vessel with an unregistered homemade vessel tied behind it. We approached the good Samaritan boat asking if everyone involved was okay. They explained that the operator of the homemade vessel got ejected and received a laceration and partial degloving on his fingers. The homemade vessel was taking on water, so we had them take it to land where the injured parties house was only a few hundred yards form the scene of the accident. Officer and I gave the wife of the man a ride back to shore. While she was on our patrol vessel, we asked for her phone number which she provided. I asked them if he would need EMS and they responded explaining that she would take him herself. 
At approximately 1430 I met both OP1 and his wife at Key Largo Urgent Care to get a sworn written statement while Officer went to their house to get pictures of the vessel, an approximately 14 fiberglass boat with a 30 hp outboard on the back. OP1 received stitches for his injuries to his fingers. I asked him what happened, and he explained to me that the vessel started to “chine walk” causing him to lose control of the vessel and be ejected. When he got ejected the throttle on the motor got stuck causing the boat to continue in motion. He was holding onto a rope tied to the bow that was wrapped around his right hand which is what caused the injury to his fingers. The rope tightened around his fingers causing the lacerations and partial degloving. ;OP1 recieved a laceration and partial degloving of his middle and ring finger on his right hand. He went to Key Largo Urgent Care and recieve stitches for his injuries.
GULF OF MEXICO
TAVERNIER                     