On Saturday in south Alabama, a 42-year-old man was tossed off his boat along with two other passengers, including a toddler, who suffered grave injuries.
Then, as his own 18-foot boat, which was unmanned, started to circle their area, it struck Artis E. Anderson, 42.
The event occurred on the Tensaw River close to Byrnes Lake in Baldwin County around 8:50 a.m. on Saturday.
According to Capt. Jeremy Burkett of the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, Anderson was in charge of the boat when it swung sharply to the right, displacing the Bay Minette man along with Brittany Anderson, 34, and a 2-year-old. They all ended up in the water.
Burkett claimed that despite the ejection of all passengers, the handmade watercraft persisted. Consequently, the ship circled around them and finally hit Artis E. Anderson.
When he noticed what was occurring, a nearby boater—later identified as Daphne resident Michael W. Carr II, 46—came right away to offer assistance.
The two-year-old was successfully pulled from the ocean and brought aboard Michael and Terri Carr’s boat.
Eventually, Carr’s 14-foot boat was struck by Anderson’s vessel.
After successfully climbing aboard Anderson’s boat, Michael Carr managed to turn off the motor and force Anderson’s boat away from his.
Both Artis Anderson and Brittany Anderson were retrieved with the help of other vessels that arrived on the scene.
For medical care, Artis Anderson was evacuated to University Hospital in Mobile. The toddler and Brittany Anderson were unharmed.
Assistance in the recovery attempts was provided by the Alabama State Troopers, the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office, the Whitehouse Fork Volunteer Fire Department, the Crossroads Volunteer Fire Department, and the ALEA Marine Patrol Division.
Stories by
Carol Robinson
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