MIAMI — A 34-year-old California man was arrested over the weekend by Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officers after he struck a woman who was swimming in Biscayne Bay with a personal watercraft, authorities said.
According to the FWC, the incident happened at about 7 p.m. Saturday near Miami Marine Stadium.
Officers said the 21-year-old woman was swimming when she was struck by a personal watercraft being operated by Andy Vences.
Officers said Vences fled the scene without first trying to help the victim or calling 911.
Video and witnesses, however, were able to help identify Vences as the operator of the personal watercraft to officers, authorities said.
“There is no excuse for leaving the scene of an accident,” Miami-Dade County Area Captain Rafael Almagro said in a statement. “I am pleased our officers were able to quickly apprehend the subject so that he can be held accountable.”
The victim’s condition has not yet been released.
Vences was arrested Saturday evening on a charge of leaving the scene of a vessel accident involving injury without reporting it.
Vences was booked at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center after his arrest, but was no longer appearing in the online jail database Monday morning.
FWC officers encourage anyone who witnesses a boating violation to report it by calling the FWC’s Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-FWCC (888-404-3922) or submitting a tip online at MyFWC.com/WildlifeAlert.
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