Nearly three months have passed since a spearfisherman was killed by a passing boater over the July Fourth Weekend. Recently, authorities have charged that boater in the man’s death.
Palmer Reid Long Jr., 72, of Placida, Florida, was charged on Sept. 23, with vessel homicide after police say he didn’t slow down despite there being visible divers-down flags in the area. Vessel homicide is a second-degree felony and a conviction could mean up to 15 years in prison.
The incident happened on July 5, killing spearfisherman, Israel “Kiko” Boza, 56, of Hialeah, according to reporting from local news outlets. That same weekend, three separate incidents on the water in the Florida Keys injured about eight people, including a 12-year-old.
Long was allegedly speeding his 32-foot Contender center console boat at 50 mph near where Boza was in the water with friends off his 23-foot Key Largo open fishing boat. Boza was hit in the head, legs, and abdomen by the propellers. Authorities estimate that he likely died “within minutes” of being hit and that his head injuries likely rendered him unconscious. GoPro footage from a device worn by Boza’s friend the day of the incident seemingly shows Long driving close to divers. The man wearing the camera told reporters he waved to Long to warn him that there were divers in the water and allegedly showed Long waving back.
Long’s attorney told reporters from the Bradenton Herald that his client did not know he hit anyone and refuted claims he was going 50 mph on the day of the incident. Boza’s body was found around 1:15 p.m. by nearby boaters who then called 911.
Long, who was in custody at the Charlotte County jail at the time of his arrest, has since been released on a $150,000 bond.
Safety and Statistics
As a personal injury law firm with a long history in Key West, Leesfield & Partners attorneys know just how dangerous Florida waters can be. Not only are divers and people on boats or other recreational vessels at risk from sudden changes in weather, currents, and not respecting marine life, but they also pose a risk to each other.
Leesfield & Partners knows that these incidents tend to increase over summers and on holiday weekends when schools are out. Days spent out on the water can be wonderful family memories, but, when people get a little too carried away with their holiday celebrations, those days can quickly become memorable for entirely different reasons. It is why Leesfield & Partners, with its main office on South Dixie Highway, regularly posts boating safety tips and advisories on its digital sign which sees thousands of Miami drivers daily.
Boaters should always keep an eye out for divers-down flags, but should also be aware that there will likely be more divers out on the water with the excitement of the first days of the season. Divers are required to display divers-down flags to notify passing boats of their presence in the water. Boaters in open waters should keep a 300-foot distance between themselves and a divers-down flag and operate at idle speed. When in bays, inlets, navigational channels or rivers, boats are required to keep a 100-foot distance between them and the flags while operating at idle speeds.
In a Florida Fish and Wildlife annual report on boating incidents, there were approximately 659 crashes out on the water statewide in 2023. Collisions with a fixed object, such as a bridge, accounted for 28% of these crashes. July was the month in which the bulk of these incidents occurred. There were about 59 people killed as a result of crashes on Florida waters in 2023.
In Monroe County, where the majority of these crashes took place, there were about 87 incidents with 62 injuries and three fatalities.
Previous Cases
Leesfield & Partners attorneys have represented injured clients and grieving families through the most horrific and saddening incidents on Florida waters. In over four decades of commitment to clients and Florida communities, these attorneys have advocated on behalf of boaters, jet skiers, and divers alike. Our team is dedicated to achieving the best possible outcome for clients in even the bleakest of circumstances, approaching each case with compassion for the injured party.
One such case involved the devastating death of a minor who was snorkeling when he was killed by a teen recklessly speeding on the water. The teen allegedly went home, attempted to cover up evidence, and lied to authorities when questioned about the incident later on. Neighbors who testified in the case said that the teen had previously driven the boat carelessly. A $1.7 million settlement was secured for the deceased boy’s family.
In another case involving a diver, attorneys were able to secure $2 million in the wrongful death case of a snorkeler killed after a motorboat failed to see divers-down flags in the area.
Leesfield & Partners attorneys secured a settlement in the case of a young woman killed when the boat she was on crashed into a concrete dock. The driver of the boat had been drinking and was speeding the night of the crash. The woman and other passengers on the boat were thrown overboard. The woman was taken to the hospital where she later died.
Attorneys with the firm recovered $1,325,000 in that case.
Leesfield & Partners also represented the family of a snorkeling excursion passenger who died after the charter boat collided with a channel marker. Attorneys with the firm secured $1,850,000 for the family.
A $575,000 settlement was secured in the drowning death of a man against a Florida boat tour company.
Leesfield & Partners previously recovered $935,750 for a woman injured in a jet ski and boating accident.