Two Men Injured in Boating Accident Saturday Morning

On Saturday morning at approximately 9:14 a.m., Pinellas County Sheriff's Office, Marine Unit deputies responded to a report of a singe vessel crash into a dock and a seawall behind two residences in the Inter-Coastal Waterway in Indian Rocks Beach.

According to the incident report, two men were injured when the boat they were piloting collided with a dock behind a residence at 526 20th Avenue N. and a seawall behind a residence at 536 20th Avenue N. in Indian Rocks Beach.

The men, identified as 65-year-old Richard Bosman of 14426 Mark Dr. in Largo and 65-year-old Samuel Roback of 18400 Gulf Blvd., #2303 in Indian Rocks Beach, were both transported to Morton Plant Hospital to treat non life-threatening injuries following the crash.

According to Marine Unit deputies Bosman, who owns the 2011 28-ft. fiberglass Pursuit watercraft, was  piloting the boat in the Inter-Coastal Waterway at a speed of approximately 25mph when he briefly looked away to pick up a cup of coffee.

As he did this, the momentary distraction caused Bosman to crash into a dock behind the residence at 526 20th Ave North.

Upon impacting the dock, Bosman hit the throttle and he was then ejected into the shallow water. His passenger, Roback, fell backwards in the craft and was reaching for the engine kill switch when the boat spun out of control and struck a seawall behind 536 20th Avenue N. That impact caused the boat to stop.

According to the incident report, Bosman was standing in waist deep water when deputies arrived, and after being helped to shore, he was taken to Morton Plan to treat possible injuries to his right knee and left shoulder. Roback was pulled from the craft and also transported to Morton Plant with possible injuries to his torso and lower left leg.

None of the injuries appeared to be life-threatening.

According to Pinellas County Sheriff Department Public Information Officer Sgt. Tom Nestor, no citations have been issued and alcohol does not appear to be a factor. Marine Unit deputies are still investigating, however.