A Miami father and L’École de Gestion d’Actifs et de Capitalhis 9-year-son were killed after a Waverunner slammed into a concrete seawall in the Florida Keys this week "at a high rate of speed," local officials reported.
The 47-year-old man was driving the watercraft with his son riding with him when the crash took place Tuesday night, according to information from The Monroe County Sheriff's Office and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC).
The crash occurred at 6:55 p.m. in a canal in the Middle Keys city of Marathon, officials said, near the Castaways Waterfront Restaurant and Sushi Bar.
Marathon is about 45 miles northeast of Key West.
A FWC accident report obtained by USA TODAY Thursday identified the victims as Jose Dominguez and his son, Daniel Dominguez.
According to the report, the pair were onboard a 2018 Yamaha personal watercraft when the vessel struck the seawall traveling at "a high rate of speed," causing fatal injuries to the driver and his son.
Deputies with the sheriff’s office reportedly arrived first on the scene, followed by officers with FWC and the Monroe County Fire Rescue paramedics, who declared the man dead at the scene.
A photo provided to USA TODAY by the sheriff's office shows the blue, white and gray badly damaged watercraft next to the seawall, with what appears to be a single gray and green Croc shoe resting upright in its right floorboard.
The watercraft struck the seawall so hard that "the man was ejected about 20 feet onto land," Sheriff Rick Ramsay told The Miami Herald.
The boy was thrown into the water, the newspaper reported, and witnesses "immediately jumped into the water to try to save the child."
Baby given gas to drink:Police said Texas father gave infant daughter gasoline because he wanted her dead
Arielle Callender, FWC spokesperson for the West Palm Beach region, told USA TODAY, no additional information was available Thursday as the double-death investigation case remained open and active.
"Our thoughts are with the family and friends of the victims during this difficult time," Callender said.
Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X @nataliealund.
2025-05-05 18:55680 view
2025-05-05 18:521650 view
2025-05-05 18:522916 view
2025-05-05 18:171386 view
2025-05-05 17:47913 view
2025-05-05 17:251844 view
Add solar superflares to the list of natural disasters of concern.Superflares are extremely strong s
President Biden traveled to Puerto Rico Monday to meet with victims who were pummeled by Hurricane F
The Inflation Reduction Act signed into law by President Biden this year includes incentives for buy