Three People Killed and One Injured in Miami Beach Boating Accident

By Orlando Personal Injury Attorney on April 25, 2019

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission has opened an investigation into a fatal boating accident that occurred this Easter weekend just off the coast of Miami Beach, involving a dangerous jetty that has caused previous deadly collisions.

At approximately 9:30 p.m. this past Saturday evening, four people were injured, three of them fatally, when their 32-foot center console Cape Horn boat crashed into the north jetty of Government Cut, on the eastern side of South Pointe Park Pier. Christopher Colgan, 56, and his wife of 17 years Elisaine Colgan, 38, from Lighthouse Point in Broward County, along with Fort Lauderdale resident Jennifer Munoz Cadavid, 28, were killed when their watercraft overturned onto the rocky jetty.

The lone survivor, Troy Forte, 37, of Juno Beach, was rescued near the crash site by the Miami-Dade Fire Rescue dive team. He was immediately transported to Ryder Trauma Center at Jackson Memorial Hospital, where he is currently in stable condition. “It looked like a horrific scene. I don’t know how anyone could survive that. It was totally upside down on the rocks. The top was up against the jetty. And the boat was totally out of the water,” said a local charter boat captain, who witnessed the aftermath.

This is not the first time that a fatal boating accident has occurred at this particular jetty. In 2016, professional baseball player José Fernández, pitcher with the Miami Marlins, and his fellow boating companions Emilio Macias and Eduardo Rivero were killed in the same place. Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez said to the Miami Herald Monday morning, “I’ve been out there at night and they’re really hard to see, especially with the background of the city lights there in your face. We need to do something about that to really light it up.”

The investigation into this case is currently ongoing.

Spring is in full swing here in Florida as many locals take to the waterways to have some fun in the sun. Even though boating accidents are somewhat uncommon, they do, in fact, occur unfortunately. If you or a loved one should find yourselves in need of an experienced Orlando boating accident attorney, please contact us today at 877-FL-INJURY to schedule a free initial consultation.

Sources:

• Search for Fourth Victim After Deadly Miami Beach Boat Crash
• 2 killed after boat slams into jetty near Government Cut
• Fort Lauderdale woman died in Miami Beach boat crash that killed a mother and father

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.