On September 20th, 2023 at approximately 6:16am, Vessel #1 was rounding Oliver Point from Coon Island Bay headed towards the Oyster Lake Bridge running on top when the vessel struck one of two wooden poles located approx. 200 feet from the shoreline. Vessel #1 struck the southern most pole with its port side with a glancing hit ejecting the driver and both passengers from the boat. All three subjects were uninjured and walked to the shore through the shallow water as the vessel continued out into the open bay still on top. Vessel #1 began a clockwise circle which got tighter as it continued.  

The operator of vessel #1 was then able to contact his wife to help find someone to assist in retrieving the runaway boat. In the meantime the three occupants were able to flag down a passing vessel who picked them up and transported them to a nearby shrimp boat that was friends with the operator of vessel #1 who they had also contacted. As they made it to the shrimp boat, the two passengers boarded the shrimp boat and the vessel #1 operator got onto Vessel #2 who was called and responded to help with the situation. The two now on vessel #2 grabbed a rope and grappling hook from the shrimp boat with the plan to stop vessel #1 by entangling a rope in the prop which was unsuccessful, they then tried to use the grappling hook to hook the throttle again with no success. The two then planned to jump onto the runaway boat.  Vessel #2 approached vessel #1 and vessel #1 operator jumped for the boat but was unable to make it onto the deck but was able to grab onto the side where he was able to hang on for just a few seconds before falling into the water.  Vessel #1 then ran over its original operator two times before he could be pulled from the water by Vessel #2 and its operator. 911 was called at 8:08am as vessel #2 transported the injured subject back to the Palacios boat ramp. I arrived on scene at the boat ramp shortly after the 911 call was made as vessel #2 made it to the boat ramp. The vessel #1 operator sustained severe lacerations to his left arm and hand as well as a near amputation of lower half of his left foot. The injured was transported to the Palacios Community Medical Center where he was life flighted to a Houston hospital for treatment. At the time of the initial accident the conditions were dark with sunrise being 7:12am that morning. 

When Vessel #1 was later recovered around 10:30am after running out of gas, the kill switch lanyard was found clipped in a circle draped over the throttle handle which was pushed all the way forward. No alcohol or evidence of such was located on the vessel. The operator of vessel #1 was ticketed for not wearing his kill switch lanyard.
3320 TRES PALACIOS BAY
Palacios                      