Two boats colided on Lake Eustis. Occupants on vessel 2 were ejected from vessel and transported with injuries
On 8/11 I conducted interviews with the operators of both vessels and took daytime pictures. I met with OP1 who is the owner of and was operating V1 the night of the accident. I met him at his home and looked at the boat which he said he had not altered or moved since the night of the accident. I could not locate damage past what I had found the night of the accident. OP1 stated that he had been fishing the evening of 8/6 prior to the accident in Haines creek on Lake Eustis. He showed me a text message he sent at 8:51 PM telling people he was heading in from fishing and headed back to the T-Docks to load up his boat. He would have been heading Southeast to go back to the ramp. He then showed me a screen shot of his outgoing call to 911 at 8:54PM after he had been hit. He said he was going about 35-40 MPH at the time of the crash and never saw the other boat. After the crash, He could see two people in the water calling for help and the other boat going in a circle. He called 911 waited for fire/rescue came and took the occupants of the other boat back to shore. OP1 sustained a minor bump to the head and has a black eye on his right eye. He was discharged from the hospital that night. OP1 has not taken a boater safety course.
Later that day, I interviewed OP2 as well at his home. His boat was on the trailer in front of the house as well. I asked him if it had been moved or altered since the crash and he said no. OP2 was still on crutches had had a splint on his left leg. I asked him about his injuries, and he said he had just been discharged on 8/9. He had stitches on his lacerations and must attend some physical therapy but other than that his is going to make a full recovery.  OP2 made a statement to me “my attorney was wondering if y’all conducted field sobriety exercises on that guy driving the other boat?” I told him I had not since there was no wheel whiteness and no one at the scene when I arrived. Upon him telling me he hired an attorney; I thought it best to read him his Miranda rights since his attorney was not present. I read him from a prepared text (agency issued Miranda card) which he understood and agreed to answer questions. 
I asked about the boats damage and what may have been existing damage and he said there was none prior to the accident, that the boat is probably a complete loss (totaled). I observed no new damage prior to what I had seen the night of the accident and had already photographed. He said he and his girlfriend (Victim 3) had launched the boat the morning of the accident around 10:00AM. They cruised the chain of lakes for the duration of the day, stopping to swim, eat, and get gas throughout the day. Around 8:30 PM, he said they went to watch the sunset at the mouth of the Dead River. After sunset, they decided to make a loop around the lake before loading the boat up. Victim 3 was sitting to the right of OP2 as they traveled north toward Haines Creek. As they were cruising 15-20 MPH coming up on Haines Creek, OP2 said Victim 3 looked left and screamed his name. 

OP2 looked left and saw a boat going very fast right at him. That’s when he turned hard to starboard (right) and collided with the boat. OP2 and Victim 3 were both thrown from the boat, but both know how to swim good he said. He looked up and saw his boat still in motion going in a circle and coming right at them. OP2 said he pushed Victim 3 out of the way to avoid her getting hit and he in turn got run over by his own boat. His boat came to rest and they both climbed back up in his boat. Victim 3 and OP1 exchanged words and that’s when OP1 called 911. OP2 was told he blacked out prior to Fire/Rescue getting to them in the lake and being transported. OP2 has taken a boater safety course and had navigation lights present during the crash.
lake eustis
TAVARES                       