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Woman killed as boat hits marker
By JAMIE JONES, Times Staff Writer HERNANDO BEACH -- A 33-year-old woman died Sunday in a boating accident off Hernando Beach. Vicki Satterfield of 12837 Amber Ave. in Clermont was taken by helicopter to St. Joseph's Hospital in Tampa, where she was pronounced dead, said Lt. Dewey Weaver, spokesman for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Weaver said Satterfield had been boating and snorkeling on the Gulf of Mexico with four people on Sunday. The driver started the boat about 11 a.m. and as it started moving along the Hernando Beach Channel, the bow rose up during acceleration, blocking the view. Weaver said the driver didn't see Channel Marker 22 and slammed into it. A piece of the channel marker flew into the air and hit Satterfield, who was thrown from the boat. She suffered severe head injuries, authorities said. Another passenger, Christine Pavoni, 24, was treated for minor injuries, Weaver said. A witness, Dan Foster, told authorities that he saw the boat hit the marker, and a passing boat picked up the occupants and took them to the Hernando Beach boat ramp. Weaver said he did not know who drove the boat. Others on board were Tyler Speck, 44, Nicky Speck, 8, and Jeremy Thomas, 23. Weaver said his agency, which oversees boat safety and compliance, is investigating. Findings will not be available for several weeks, Weaver said. The outboard boat was towed to the Bayport ramp on Cortez Boulevard, where sheriff's deputies saw cracks in the fiberglass. -- Jamie Jones covers law enforcement and courts in Hernando County and can be reached at 754-6114. Send e-mail to jjones@sptimes.com.
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From today's Hernando Times Editorial Letters |
