MIAMI BEACH, FL - Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) officers are investigating a hit-and-run boating crash in Biscayne Bay that they say left a father dead and his son injured on Wednesday night, March 25.
The crash happened around 8:30 p.m. in the Meloy Channel, near Indian Creek and Biscayne Pointe off Miami Beach, Local10 reported. Investigators said that the father and son were aboard a seven-foot dinghy when another vessel struck them, ejecting both into the water.
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue crews recovered the victims and transported them to a nearby hospital. The father, identified as Davide Veglia of North Miami, died from his injuries.
The son survived and was taken to Jackson Memorial Hospital's Ryder Trauma Center. He is 14 years old and suffered a broken arm, the New York Post reported. FWC officials said the boat that struck the father and son fled the scene. The boat has been described as a dark blue vessel, approximately 20 to 30 feet long, with two outboard motors.
Authorities said it was last seen heading northbound from the Meloy Channel. Miami Beach high school students Enzo Avelino and Samuel Londoño were doing landscape work at a house on Biscayne Point when they heard screaming.
"You could hear his voice like cracking, he was yelling so loud," said Avelino. "He started saying, 'Help, help, help.'" Neighbors said they were heartbroken after hearing about the hit-and-run.
"It's devastating," said Pascile Padiou, who lives nearby. "You think about your family, you think that you are going boating with your son, it's fun, it's nice, and that's a terrible accident, the most terrible thing is that it's a hit-and-run. I mean, that's horrible."
South Florida resident Larry Scheiger said he actually saw the dinghy that night and noticed it didn't have any lights on. "People need to be very careful when they are boating at night, it’s very dangerous out here, especially with a small boat,” he said. “It’s very tragic. I have a young son whom I bought the little boat for, and safety is all I ever taught Finn. You gotta be safe, safe, safe, and not drive around at night. Always come home before dark."
FWC Officer George Reynaud asked anyone who witnessed the incident or may have video to come forward. Anyone with information is urged to call the Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-3922 or the Miami Beach Police Department at 305-673-7900.
The crash happened around 8:30 p.m. in the Meloy Channel, near Indian Creek and Biscayne Pointe off Miami Beach, Local10 reported. Investigators said that the father and son were aboard a seven-foot dinghy when another vessel struck them, ejecting both into the water.
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue crews recovered the victims and transported them to a nearby hospital. The father, identified as Davide Veglia of North Miami, died from his injuries.
The son survived and was taken to Jackson Memorial Hospital's Ryder Trauma Center. He is 14 years old and suffered a broken arm, the New York Post reported. FWC officials said the boat that struck the father and son fled the scene. The boat has been described as a dark blue vessel, approximately 20 to 30 feet long, with two outboard motors.
Authorities said it was last seen heading northbound from the Meloy Channel. Miami Beach high school students Enzo Avelino and Samuel Londoño were doing landscape work at a house on Biscayne Point when they heard screaming.
"You could hear his voice like cracking, he was yelling so loud," said Avelino. "He started saying, 'Help, help, help.'" Neighbors said they were heartbroken after hearing about the hit-and-run.
"It's devastating," said Pascile Padiou, who lives nearby. "You think about your family, you think that you are going boating with your son, it's fun, it's nice, and that's a terrible accident, the most terrible thing is that it's a hit-and-run. I mean, that's horrible."
South Florida resident Larry Scheiger said he actually saw the dinghy that night and noticed it didn't have any lights on. "People need to be very careful when they are boating at night, it’s very dangerous out here, especially with a small boat,” he said. “It’s very tragic. I have a young son whom I bought the little boat for, and safety is all I ever taught Finn. You gotta be safe, safe, safe, and not drive around at night. Always come home before dark."
FWC Officer George Reynaud asked anyone who witnessed the incident or may have video to come forward. Anyone with information is urged to call the Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-3922 or the Miami Beach Police Department at 305-673-7900.
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