PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — A 66-year-old man died in a boating accident while fishing on Wednesday morning off the coast of Pinellas County, the sheriff's office announced on Thursday.
It happened at 11:40 a.m. about two miles north of the Dunedin Causeway in the Intercoastal Waterway near Three Rooker Island.
The sheriff's office identified the man who died as Charles Barnes from Tarpon Springs.
The driver of the boat, identified as 66-year-old William Coughenour, took his hand off the steering wheel as he went to adjust a fishing pole, deputies explained. The boat then "pulled a hard right," throwing them each overboard.
"Coughenour was able to swim back to the boat, however, the boat ran over Barnes' body, and his right arm was caught in the motor's propeller's, submerging him underwater," the sheriff's office tragically detailed.
Coughenour was said to try and help Barnes, but couldn't. So, he flagged down other boaters and called 911.
The sheriff's office says Barnes was pronounced dead at the scene. Coughenour was not hurt.
Impairment was not said to be a factor as deputies determined "nothing suspicious" was found during their investigation.
