DESTIN — State wildlife officials have no plans to remove the wreckage from a recent fatal boat crash at the Mid-Bay Bridge, according to Stan Kirkland, spokesman for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
Authorities have few new details on the crash, which happened late Thursday or early Friday and killed 47-year-old Robert Williams, 18-year-old Taylor Evanoff and 21-year-old Jamilia Beltz, all of Niceville.
The boat, a 336 Cobalt, was owned by Williams and was not insured, Kirkland said.
See photos from the search for the missing boat. >>
The FWC will not pay the estimated $20,000 for a marine towing service to retrieve the wreckage from Choctawhatchee Bay, he said.
Kirkland said the Coast Guard has been asked if it could remove the wreckage, which lies near the bridge piling where it crashed.
“We know what caused the accident,” Kirkland said. “What we don’t know is the state of the driver, but that will be determined by the coroner’s report. There’s really no mystery, and for that reason we’re not going to spend money out of our budget. If the Coast Guard does not remove it, the boat may remain there.”
Kirkland said the wreckage does not pose a hazard to vessels. He added that if investigators must look at the boat and it’s still underwater, a dive team will be sent down.
The crash remains under investigation.
Authorities have not determined when the boat was taken from Legendary Marine at the southern foot of bridge in Destin. Kirkland said officers are looking at timing, weather conditions and reasons why Williams, Beltz and Evanoff were together that night.
“We need to wait and let the officers do their job and we’ll go from there for a final report,” Kirkland said. “There’s just a lot of questions out there.”
Contact Daily News Staff Writer Angel McCurdy at 850-315-4432 or amccurdy@nwfdailynews.com. Follow her on Twitter @AngelMnwfdn.