On 5/14/2023 at approximately 6:10pm, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) Officers received a call from our Regional Dispatch office regarding a report of a boating accident which had occurred at approximately 6:00pm along the Manatee River near the I-75 Bridge in Manatee County. A 20’ 1998 Wellcraft recreational vessel had apparently struck a channel marker and sunk nearby.  A good Samaritan was able to retrieve the operator, the lone passenger, and their dog and get them back to the Fort Hamer boat ramp.  No injuries were reported at the time. 

We arrived on-scene at approximately 6:50pm to find the vessel sunken and resting on the river bottom with the gunwales and windshield above the water surface near the Red Channel Marker #14, just East of the I-75 Bridge.  While observing and photo documenting the vessel and its belongings within plain sight, the owner/operator and two other subjects returned to the vessel aboard an aluminum johnboat.  OP1 informed me that he was the owner of the vessel and had been operating it when he struck a nearby channel marker.  When asked why he struck the channel marker during clear weather and daylight hours, he stated that he had been distracted by petting his dog and when he looked back up, the marker was right in front of him.  He was unable to avoid it and struck the channel marker, later identified as Red Channel Marker #10.   Paint and fiberglass transfer was visible on the marker.  The port (left) side bow of his vessel made initial contact with the marker.  He said his vessel immediately began taking on water and they continued a little further until they couldn’t continue any longer.  A good Samaritan came by and picked up OP1 and PAX 1 and the dog and returned them to shore at the Fort Hamer boat ramp while their vessel continued to take on water and came to rest near the Red Channel Marker #14. 

During our investigation, we had noticed a cooler/trashcan filled with several empty alcoholic beverage containers.  I asked OP1 about these, and he informed me they were from his 22-year-old girlfriend and other friends who were disposing of their cans onto his boat.  When asked if he had consumed any alcoholic beverages, he admitted to having 5 beers earlier in the day.  He elaborated that these had been consumed approximately 4 hours prior to our interaction.  I then pointed out that the accident had only happened about 2 hours after his supposed consumption of these beverages.  I then pointed out that he was not allowed to possess or consume any alcoholic beverages being that he was under the legal age of 21 and was only 19 years old. 

  

From my investigation, I determined that operator inattention and improper lookout were contributing factors to the allision with the stationary channel marker.  Admittedly, alcohol had been consumed by the underage operator prior to the allision and likely served as an additional contributing factor. 
Manatee River
BRADENTON                     