Single vessel with single occupant/operator was thrown over board on Lake Eustis 
On June 12th, 2023, at approximately 1100, SRCC received a call from LCSO about a single vessel accident occurring on Lake Eustis. A vessel was unoccupied going in circles with no one on board. LCSO arrived on scene and recovered the vessel operator treading water in Lake Eustis. LCSO was also able to get the vessel stopped without incident. The operator was transported by EMS to Advent Health Waterman Hospital. 
I arrived at Waterman to interview the operator but was unable to as they were performing tests on him, and he was hooked up to a breathing machine. I met with his wife and gave her my contact information for when she had an update on her husband and we could discuss the accident. I spoke with the hospital staff, and they said he had swallowed a lot of water and they had him on a sleep app machine to help relieve the stress off his lungs. They were still waiting on him to receive a Cscan. 
On June 22, 2023, I met and spoke with OP1 who was in good health.  He stated on the morning of his accident he had been out fishing on Lake Eustis. He was looking his GPS trying to locate a fishing spot when another boat came by at a high rate of speed and caused a big wake. He hit the boats wake and was thrown from his boat at a speed of approximately 20 MPH. He then treaded water for approximately 1 hour before being found by LCSO. He spent 3 days in the hospital due the stress put on his lungs and the amount of water he had swallowed. He was released and has a clean bill of health. 
At the time of the accident OP1 was not wearing a PFD or an engine kill switch. He was in a 19-foot center console boat which he was the operator and only occupant. He has over 100 hours of experience operating a vessel and has taken a boaters safety course. ; OP1:I arrived at Waterman to interview the operator but was unable to as they were performing tests on him, and he was hooked up to a breathing machine. I met with his wife, and gave her my contact information for when she had an update on her husband and we could discuss the accident. I spoke with the hospital staff, and they said he had swallowed a lot of water and they had him on a sleep app machine to help relieve the stress off his lungs. They were still waiting on him to receive a Cscan.
lake eustis
EUSTIS                        