MIAMI, FL— May 26, 2011 – The hunt continues for the operator of a boat that wrecked along the Intracoastal Waterway last weekend, causing a passenger on board to suffer serious head injuries. TCPalm reports stated that shortly after the boat crashed into an illuminated channel marker around 9:46 p.m. on May 21, 2011, the 21-year-old Jupiter man who was operating the vessel fled the scene on foot.
According to officials from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), Timothy Doran was operating a 23-foot boat, which he was not the owner of, when it collided with a channel marker for unknown reasons. Jupiter police suspect that alcohol might have contributed to the injurious boat wreck. Nevertheless, the FWC is expected to conduct a full investigation to determine the cause of the boat crash.
One passenger aboard the crashed boat, 26-year-old Kai Woodstock, suffered critical injuries. Woodstock was flown to St. Mary’s Medical Center in West Palm Beach to be treated for severe head injuries sustained in the collision. Reports did not specify whether Woodstock suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI) in the boating accident.
There were four additional passengers aboard the watercraft when the violent boat accident occurred, though it appeared as if only one of them, Eric Conerly, 25, suffered injuries. Conerly’s injuries were described as minor. Authorities did not know if Doran was hurt in the crash.
Statistics provided by the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) suggest there were 4,730 recreational boating accidents, resulting in a total of 736 boating fatalities, during the year 2009. Investigations into the Palm Beach County boat crash are underway.
About the Miami cruise ship injury lawyers and boat accident attorneys of Gerson & Schwartz, P.A.
With four decades of experience litigating the multifaceted personal injury and wrongful death claims of boat and cruise line passengers who are hurt or assaulted onboard, the knowledgeable Florida boating accident lawyers of Gerson & Schwartz are dedicated to protecting the rights of these individuals and fighting to provide them with the compensation they deserve. Working closely with the National Center for Victims of Crime, the Miami personal injury attorneys of Gerson & Schwartz, P.A. strive to provide justice to individuals who suffer serious injuries in a wide variety of boating accidents.