Boater identified in Sanibel Causeway crash

Writer: Sommer Senne
Published: Updated:

It’s not every day you see a boat colliding near the rocks on the Sanibel Causeway.

“I’ve been on the fire department now for over 16 years, and I haven’t seen that,” said John DiMaria, Deputy Fire Chief for the Sanibel Fire Rescue District.

While DiMaria’s station didn’t answer Thursday’s call, he’s responded to boating accidents over the years.

“We get calls for boats running aground, hitting other vessels and hitting other structures that may be out on the water,” he said.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission got the call Thursday afternoon when a 24-foot boat crashed into the jetty.

“This is kind of a rarity to where this vessel headed for the bridge and landed on top of it,” DiMaria said.

The Lee County Sheriff’s Office, U.S. Coast Guard and Lee County EMS all came to the scene.

The sheriff’s office released body camera footage of the accident Friday.

The driver of the boat, Isreal Rogner, was found unconscious between the rocks and a metal barrier.

Rogner was taken to the hospital and is being treated for injuries.

The boat was towed away from the causeway this afternoon.

WINK News has reached out to Rogner and his family, but we have not heard back.

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