According to investigators with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWCC), the boat they were operating hit a wake causing Brannon, who was sitting near the front of the skiff, to fall overboard. The boat then ran him over before the propeller cut his arm and hand. The boat driver and an 18-year old managed to pull the injured boy on board before calling 911.
According to FWC spokesperson Jorge Pino the boat was traveling in a No-Wake zone, but he said it was unclear if the wave that hit the boat was caused by another vessel or just rough weather conditions.
Black Point Marina is notorious for boating accidents. It is a place where gawkers spend late afternoons watching inebriated boaters crash into docks. Pino said that while the number of accidents reported at Black Point is not unusually high, it is known for out-of-control boaters.
"There is a lot of insaneness that goes on there," Pino said. "And we are not exactly sure why."