Bobcat
05-14-2013, 07:16 AM
The Florida Keys’ Only Daily Newspaper, Est. 1876
•
75971
NATION
An Islamorada flats guide was
killed Sunday night when his boat
ran into the mangroves in a pop-
ular cut-through section of man-
groves, according to the Florida
Fish and Wildlife Conservation
Commission.
Brent Allen Johnson, 41, was
found in the water at the bottom
of the narrow cut known locally
as the “wheel ditch” after his 23-
foot yellow, Pathfinder bay boat
drove about 50 feet into the man-
groves with the motor running
and music playing on the radio at
8:15 p.m., said FWC spokesman
Bobby Dube.
“This section is really hairy,
especially at night,” Dube said,
referring to the narrow wheel
ditch that’s only about 20 feet
wide and several feet deep.
The cut runs parallel with
U.S. 1 and boaters use the nar-
row creek on north Lower
Matecumbe Key to more quickly
access Matecumbe Bight and
Lignumvitae Channel.
There were no other reported
people on board and investiga-
tors are awaiting autopsy and
toxicology reports.
“It’s our understanding that
he was on a charter earlier that
day, but we have yet to place his
whereabouts preceding the acci-
dent,” Dube said.
•
75971
NATION
An Islamorada flats guide was
killed Sunday night when his boat
ran into the mangroves in a pop-
ular cut-through section of man-
groves, according to the Florida
Fish and Wildlife Conservation
Commission.
Brent Allen Johnson, 41, was
found in the water at the bottom
of the narrow cut known locally
as the “wheel ditch” after his 23-
foot yellow, Pathfinder bay boat
drove about 50 feet into the man-
groves with the motor running
and music playing on the radio at
8:15 p.m., said FWC spokesman
Bobby Dube.
“This section is really hairy,
especially at night,” Dube said,
referring to the narrow wheel
ditch that’s only about 20 feet
wide and several feet deep.
The cut runs parallel with
U.S. 1 and boaters use the nar-
row creek on north Lower
Matecumbe Key to more quickly
access Matecumbe Bight and
Lignumvitae Channel.
There were no other reported
people on board and investiga-
tors are awaiting autopsy and
toxicology reports.
“It’s our understanding that
he was on a charter earlier that
day, but we have yet to place his
whereabouts preceding the acci-
dent,” Dube said.