Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office Deputies responded to a fatal boating accident on November 27, 2024, at approximately 11:40 a.m., in the Intracoastal Waterway, roughly two miles north of the Dunedin Causeway.
Authorities report that 66-year-old Charles Barnes and William Coughenour from Tarpon Springs were fishing near 3 Rooker Island on Coughenour’s 2016 17-foot Key West boat. Barnes sat at the bow atop a cooler while Coughenour operated the vessel.
According to investigators, Coughenour temporarily removed his hand from the steering wheel to adjust a fishing pole when the boat suddenly veered sharply to the right, ejecting both men into the water. Coughenour managed to swim back to the boat, but Barnes was struck by the vessel, and his right arm became entangled in the motor’s propellers, submerging him underwater.
Coughenour attempted to rescue Barnes but was unsuccessful. He flagged down nearby boaters, who contacted emergency services. Barnes was pronounced deceased at the scene.
Deputies determined there were no suspicious circumstances, and impairment was not a factor in the incident.
The investigation is ongoing.