Jacksonville Man Dies in Boating Accident Under Shands Bridge
Boat passengers were not wearing life jackets at the time of the accident

Posted Feb. 19, 2009

 
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A Jacksonville resident died when his boat capsized Wednesday under the Shands Bridge that crosses the St. Johns River south of Jacksonville.
His passenger received minor injuries.

Benjamin F. Heyward (DOB 11/17/47) was the operator of the boat. His passenger, Lakia Laticia Kiser (DOB 1/10/76), was taken to a
Jacksonville hospital with minor injuries.

According to Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC)officials, Department of Transportation (DOT) personnel were conducting
an inspection of the bridge near Green Cove Springs.

Heyward and Kiser, employees of Acme Barricades, a Jacksonville subcontractor for DOT, were in the vessel doing water-safety operations
for DOT personnel working above them. The vessel, an 18-foot, 1993 Capecraft, began taking on water and capsized, dumping Heyward and Kiser
into the river.

According to FWC investigator Kevin Larson, DOT personnel threw their life jackets to the two people in the water. Kiser was able to grab onto
one of the flotation devices but Heyward struggled with his.

Dale Stone, one of the DOT workers, jumped into the water to assist Heyward. Larry Rodgers, another DOT worker who was operating the truck
on the bridge, deployed a life raft into the water, and David Garza, the other DOT worker, got into the life raft and paddled over to Kiser. All
four people were rescued from the water by the Clay County Sheriff's Office.

Heyward was taken to the St. Johns County Medical Examiner's Office to determine the cause of death.

The FWC is continuing the investigation.