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Brevard 8th in state in boating accidents
Three people died on Brevard County waters in 2008, but officers say a lifejacket likely would have saved their lives and the lives of most of the 51 others in Florida who died during what was supposed to be a fun day on the water.
"Seventy percent of all fatalities were not wearing their lifejackets," said Lenny Salberg, spokesman for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
Despite having 226 fewer registered vessels, Brevard saw three more accidents in 2008 than in 2007, two more deaths, four more injuries and $29,500 more in damage, according to 2008 state statistics released this week.
The county had one accident for every 1,486 registered vessels in 2008, ranking it the eighth worst in Florida.
All of Brevard's three fatalities happened on the Indian River Lagoon, two in one incident. None of the three people were wearing lifejackets.
On May 5, 2008, Thomas and Margaret Donnelly, both 69 and from Rockledge, were trying to dock at Valencia Road and Rockledge Drive. Margaret Donnelly fell overboard as she was walking toward the bow of their 30-foot boat to help with the docking.
Her husband tried to throw her dock lines, but then "accidentally ran over her, causing severe propeller injuries," the commission's incident report said.
Thomas Donnelly then dove into the lagoon. His wife drowned, and he was overcome by choppy waters and exhaustion as he tried to save her, police said. He died after three days in the intensive care unit.
Late Sunday, Nov. 23, Jonathan S.E. Waters, 31, of Merritt Island launched a borrowed 12-foot-long canoe from the end of Pine Island Road on Merritt Island. He was going fishing but never returned.
His lifejacket and overturned canoe were found floating near where he had launched.
On Dec. 3, a friend found Waters facedown in 18 inches of water, 10 feet from the Indian River banks. Waters was a father of three and a former lifeguard.
Airboat incident
While fewer boats go there, the St. Johns River's narrow, bending channels proved perilous on July 21. Two airboats -- one with two occupants, another with three -- collided that day as they approached a narrow trail called Sweetwater Canal.
Everyone survived, but there were severe injuries, including cuts, broken bones and internal bruising.
Officers cited both airboat operators -- one a water management district employee who was on duty with the passenger of the boat -- for allegedly not maintaining a safe speed, an insufficient number of personal floatation devices and other safety violations.
Both were charged with second-degree misdemeanors of breaking navigation rules. Both have pleaded not guilty. They are due in court on June 10.
Water management officials said no disciplinary action has been taken by the district against the employee involved and declined to comment further.
Accident this year
Brevard's most recent boating accident took the life of a retired Orlando police officer who had organized an outing that included a Boy Scout troop from Orlando, all with special needs. They were to go fishing and eat lunch on a spoil island. The group launched on April 17 from Bairs Cove at the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge.
As the boat approached the spoil island, the retired officer dove into the water to save a 16-year-old boy who either fell or jumped from his boat, according to the wildlife commission's report.
The teen's mother drove the boat back to pick them up, jumped in to help her son to the boat's edge, then swam for the man. He was facedown in the water and later died in the hospital.
"He would have lived if he had been wearing his lifejacket," said Salberg, the commission spokesman.
Everyone survived, but there were severe injuries, including cuts, broken bones and internal bruising.
Officers cited both airboat operators -- one a water management district employee who was on duty with the passenger of the boat -- for allegedly not maintaining a safe speed, an insufficient number of personal floatation devices and other safety violations.
Both were charged with second-degree misdemeanors of breaking navigation rules. Both have pleaded not guilty. They are due in court on June 10.
Water management officials said no disciplinary action has been taken by the district against the employee involved and declined to comment further.
Accident this year
Brevard's most recent boating accident took the life of a retired Orlando police officer who had organized an outing that included a Boy Scout troop from Orlando, all with special needs. They were to go fishing and eat lunch on a spoil island. The group launched on April 17 from Bairs Cove at the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge.
As the boat approached the spoil island, the retired officer dove into the water to save a 16-year-old boy who either fell or jumped from his boat, according to the wildlife commission's report.
The teen's mother drove the boat back to pick them up, jumped in to help her son to the boat's edge, then swam for the man. He was facedown in the water and later died in the hospital.
"He would have lived if he had been wearing his lifejacket," said Salberg, the commission spokesman.
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