FWC Offering Reward for Information Surrounding Fatal Lake Monroe Boating Accident

By Orlando Personal Injury Attorney on September 11, 2020

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is now offering a $5000 reward for any new pertinent information regarding a fatal hit-and-run boating accident which occurred during the early morning hours of May 23^rd on Lake Monroe in Seminole County.

It was close to 10:30 a.m. approximately four months ago in late May when 9-1-1 dispatchers first started to receive calls reporting a hit-and-run boating crash at a popular recreational fishing spot located on Lake Monroe, whose beautiful shoreline borders the cities of DeBary, Deltona, and Sanford. Witnesses at the scene recall seeing a motorized fishing boat colliding violently with a personal watercraft near channel marker 6, which then quickly sped away without any regard to the accident they just caused. “We’re looking for a boat that is approximately 16 to 18 feet in length. It’s a white center console with a black motor. It’s a fishing style vessel operated by a white male and they headed south or east on the St. Johns River,” said Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officer Chad Weber.

Almost as soon as the boating accident happened, two good samaritans who were thankfully in the area at the time of the crash rushed over to the damaged personal watercraft to find one severely injured occupant whom they immediately scooped up and brought back to the Wayside boat ramp. Emergency response teams and ambulances met the boaters at the exit dock and the seriously injured victim was then transported by ambulance to a local hospital. Upon arrival, it was determined that the patient, 43-year-old Lake Mary resident Reid McMenamy, was suffering from an open skull fracture to the back of his head, a dislocated arm, and multiple contusions and lacerations to the rest of his body. Due to the severity of his injuries, McMenamy was sadly unable to recover and he passed away shortly thereafter.

Local Seminole County authorities, as well as the FWC, are still searching for the vessel and driver believed to be responsible for this unnecessary wrongful death accident. After months of exhaustive investigating, they are now turning to the public by offering a reward leading to any additional helpful information surrounding the deadly collision. Officials believe they are searching for the owner/operator of a white, 16-18 foot-long “fishing-style” watercraft with significant front-end damage that was last seen heading south along the St. John’s River.

If you have any information regarding this incident, please contact the Crimeline at 800-423-8477.

Sources:

• Reward offered for help identifying boat involved in hit-and-run on Lake Monroe
• Hit-and-run: Lake Mary man killed when boat strikes personal watercraft on Lake Monroe

James O. Cunningham

Since 1977, personal injury lawyer James Cunningham has provided effective legal advocacy to people who are injured through the negligent actions of another person or entity throughout the Central Florida area. He fights to obtain recoveries for his clients’ physical and emotional pain and suffering and pursues his clients’ personal injury cases with a commitment to excellence and impeccable preparation.