A 23-year-old man has been arrested on multiple charges in connection with a May 21, 2011, boating accident. That accident left a 28-year-old man with a fractured skull and police said he spent 48 days in West Palm Beach’s St. Mary’s Medical Center.

According to police, the defendant has been charged with four counts of violating inland navigation rules and leaving the scene of a boating accident. He was taken to the Palm Beach County Jail where he was held without bond.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission said the defendant was allegedly drinking at the Tiki 52 bar with some friends after they picked him up in the boat earlier in the evening. After they left that bar, the group headed to the Rum Bar via the Intracoastal Waterway. Investigators said the defendant had three to six beers before the accident, which occurred in the Intracoastal Waterway near Marcinski Road in Jupiter.

One of the passengers in the boat told investigators that the defendant was speeding in a controlled speed zone. Investigators estimated the boat was traveling between 35 and 40 miles an hour when it struck a channel marker. All five passengers on the boat were injured.

According to investigators, the defendant fled the scene of the accident on foot and police found him the next day behind the Jupiter Ale House. He was hiding behind a garbage dumpster.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a boating accident, you should contact an experienced attorney. You may be entitled to financial compensation due to the reckless or negligent acts of another. There are Federal and state laws that provide civil remedies for accidents that happen on “navigable waters,” but there are stringent time limitations that apply to these cases. An attorney can provide the representation you need to hold those responsible accountable for their actions.
Source: palmbeachpost.com,”Man charged in serious 2011 Jupiter, Florida, boating accident,” Julius Whigham II, April 30, 2013.