Deputies from the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office are investigating a crash between a Sea Doo personal watercraft and a 17 foot flats boat. The crash that occurred in unincorporated St. Petersburg seriously injured 26 year-old Adam Kotz.
The crash occurred in the Intracoastal Waterway just north of the Treasure Island Causeway Bridge at approximately 12:26 p.m. on Thursday, November 28, 2019.
According to deputies, a single, unidentified boat was traveling southbound in the Intracostal Waterway and passed Adam Kotz, who was operating his 2015 Sea Doo personal watercraft. Kotz accelerated his Sea Doo eastward across the waterway jumping the wake of the southbound boat. Afterwards, Kotz immediately turned around and accelerated again westbound across the waterway in what appeared to be another attempt at jumping the boat’s wake.
At the same time, two other boats were traveling northbound towards Kotz’s location. The first boat, a 17 foot Maverick flats style boat, was piloted by a 19-year-old Seminole resident and his 20-year-old passenger.
The occupants of the Maverick both observed Kotz cross in front of them eastbound, jumping the southbound boat’s wake, on his Sea Doo. The boat operator advised he did not expect Kotz to abruptly make a U-turn and across the waterway westbound into his path. The boat operator told deputies he quickly slowed his boat in an effort to avoid Kotz but unfortunately he was unable to prevent crashing into the left side of the Sea Doo, throwing Kotz into the water.
The boat operator stated he immediately stopped his boat along with the second boat of four people that was following behind him. Together they assisted getting Kotz out of the water and called 9-1-1.
Kotz was brought aboard the second vessel and both boats proceeded to the closest boat ramp, Jungle Prada, located at 1700 Park Street North. in St. Petersburg.
Paramedics and deputies responded to the boat ramp. Kotz had serious, but non-life threatening injuries and was transported to Bayfront Health St. Petersburg.
Deputies interviewed the four occupants of the boat that saw the crash and assisted with rescuing Kotz. Those boaters told deputies they also observed Kotz accelerating back and forth across the waterway and ultimately into the path of the Maverick.
They advised they also saw the boat operator attempt to avoid crashing just before the impact.