Category Archives: Boating Accidents

Jacksonville Boating Accident Leaves Two Dead, One Injured

Posted on June 5, 2013 by The Gerber Law Group, P.A.

According to the Jacksonville Times-Union, two St. Johns County men were killed and a woman was seriously injured on May 26 when their 16-foot motorboat struck a dock near the Pelican Reef neighborhood. Boaters Franklin T. Babb and Warren C. Hall, both 52, were heading north when the boat crashed and were thrown into the pitch-dark ocean, according to the Times-Union. Both were pronounced death at the scene of the crash. Babb’s wife, Alicha, 50, was pulled from the water by anglers. She is currently in stable condition at a Jacksonville hospital. Investigators said the trio was returning to the Vilano Boat ramp after a fishing trip when the boating accident  occurred. Jay Williams, a Pelican Reef resident, told the Times-Union that he “heard and felt the collision” at his house, two doors down from the dock where the accident occurred. “Three fishermen anchored to the south of me said…
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Sarasota Woman in Watercraft Accident Suffers Severe Head and Face Injuries

Posted on October 10, 2012 by The Gerber Law Group, P.A.

A Sarasota woman was seriously injured on September 29 near Madeira Beach when the watercraft she was operating crashed into another watercraft operated by a friend. According to Tampa Bay Newspapers Weekly, Lauren Bell, 25, and her friend, John Geletka, 49, of Sarasota, rented personal watercrafts north of John’s Pass Bridge, along Madeira Beach in Pinellas County. Both were traveling at a high rate of speed when according to the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Marine Unit, Bell made an abrupt 180-degree turn and Geletka hit her watercraft. Deputies told the paper that Geletka’s personal watercraft traveled over the top of Bell’s, hitting her head and face and ejecting her from the watercraft. Bell was transported by air to Bayfront Medical Center for treatment of serious injuries to the head and face. The accident remains under investigation. It is unclear what types of personal watercrafts were involved in the accident. Deputies said…
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Alcohol-Related Boating Accident at Fort De Soto Park Leaves One Man in Critical Condition

Posted on September 14, 2012 by The Gerber Law Group, P.A.

According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), an alcohol-related boating accident at Fort De Soto Park sent a man to the hospital with serious injuries over Labor Day weekend. A 20-foot boat carrying five men crashed into a navigational marker around 6 p.m., on August 31, according to a spokesman from the FWC. One of the men on board was taken to Bayfront Medical Center and is listed in critical condition. The FWC has not released any other information about the accident and is still investigating. Boating under the influence of alcohol (BUI) can result in death and catastrophic injuries. According to the US Coast Guard, there were 758 deaths, 3081 injuries and approximately $52 million dollars of property damage due to BUI accidents in 2011. Common BUI accidents include: Boat collisions Jet Ski or other portable watercraft collisions Collisions with docks and navigational markers Injuries sustained…
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Mother of 15-Year-Old Who Died In Parasailing Accident Angry with Legislative Response

Posted on August 31, 2012 by The Gerber Law Group, P.A.

We have been discussing the August 15 parasailing death of Kathleen Miskell, 28, of Connecticut this week. Miskell died in Pompano Beach when her harness broke and she dropped nearly 200 feet into the Atlantic Ocean. On Wednesday, we discussed how there are few regulations for parasailing operators in Florida, and how multiple bills have died in the state’s Legislature which would call for further safety guidelines. Many of the bills weighed by the Legislature were a result of the 2007 death of Amber May White. White, 15, was parasailing with her sister Crystal in Pompano Beach when she died.  The girls were allowed to parasail despite thunderstorm warnings in the area. Winds caught the parachute and dragged them towards the shore. Eventually, the line snapped, and the girls fell onto the roof of a hotel. Still attached to the parasail, winds picked up the girls and dragged them into…
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