What: Boating accident. 
When: April 30, 2023, at approximately 2150 hours.
Where: Hillsboro Inlet North jetty.
Details of the accident:
On April 30, 2023, at approximately 2150 hours, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, responded to a call from dispatch while on patrol in Broward County. The call was of a boating accident in Hillsboro Inlet, involving a boat with approximately twenty people on board, which had struck the north jetty coming into the inlet.
At approximately 2200 hours, I arrived on scene at Hillsboro inlet. Upon arriving on scene, I learned the coast guard had already let the passengers of the vessel leave the area, and there were no injuries as a result of this boating accident. I spoke with an occupant of the vessel still on scene. PAX 1 explained they had left Lake Boca and traveled down the coast in the ocean to Hillsboro inlet, when the vessel struck the sandbar going into the Hillsboro inlet. PAX 1 explained the operator OP1, immediately called the coast guard for help, and made sure all his passengers were safe. PAX 1 explained that the operator OP1 was unfamiliar with the Hillsboro inlet, and that it was dark out, resulting in OP1 not seeing the sandbar before the boat hit it. PAX 1 filled out a sworn statement of her account of the accident. I then spoke to the vessel operator. OP1 explained they had left Lake Boca, and were headed to Hillsboro inlet by the ocean, when he misjudged the inlet channel and ending up hitting the boat on the North jetty of Hillsboro Inlet, running the boat aground. OP1 explained the immediately called 911 for help and made sure all people on board the vessel was safe. OP1 confirmed there was 22 people on board the vessel. OP1 told me he was not familiar with the Hillsboro inlet and was driving at approximately 10-15 miles per hour when the vessel hit the jetty. OP1 supplied me with the registration of the vessel, I ran the registration number through dispatch and confirmed the vessel to be a 2006, 37 foot, black, Chaparral Boats INC, cabin motorboat. OP1 filled out a sworn statement of his account of the accident (See attached). The vessel suffered extensive damage to the propellers, and rudder system.
Through My research and Investigation into this boating accident, I determined OP1 ran the vessel into the Hillsboro Inlet North jetty, as a result of violations of the following United States Coast Guard (USCG), navigation rules.
USCG Navigation rule 5: No Proper Look out.
USCG Navigation rule 6: safe speed.
USCG Navigation rule 7: Risk of collision. 
I also determined that operator inexperience, and operator inattention contributed to this boating accident. OP1 received two citations from violation of USCG navigation rules 5, and 6, and a warning for violation of USCG Navigation rule 7. No further law enforcement action required, body worn camera footage available upon request.

Citations:
F.S 327.33(3)(B) A person who violates the navigation rules and the violation does not constitute reckless operation of a vessel commits a noncriminal violation as defined in s. 775.08, punishable as provided in s. 327.73.
-USCG Navigation rule 5: Every vessel shall at all times maintain a proper look-out by sight and hearing as well as by all available means appropriate in the prevai

Hillsboro inlet.
HILLSBORO BEACH               