ST. LUCIE COUNTY, Fla. - UPDATE: The man killed in a St. Lucie County boating accident Sunday afternoon has been identified as 26-year-old Cody Troska of Vero Beach.
According to a report from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, witnesses told police a man identified as 20-year-old Dominic Dragan of Pompano Beach, was running a 20-foot Blue Pathfinder vessel in circles, jumping wakes and "showing off" when he was ejected from the vessel and trapped in the inner circle of its movement.
Victoria Crosby's two daughters were with the men when it happened.
She said she didn't want her daughters to go on the boat.
"I know in the past there's been alcohol use on the boat and stuff and I just saw a recipe for disaster," Victoria said.
Victoria's known Cody for several years, and said he visited her house weekly.
"He was just like one of my kids. Welcome to come over my house whenever he wanted," Victoria said.
Since the accident happened, she said her daughters have been extremely distraught.
"Completely hysterical. They haven't stopped crying for about 24 hours now."
She explained what they witnessed before the accident, "One kid in another boat pulled up to the island and fishtailed a little bit and beached his boat. From what I understand, Dominic said to the other kid 'Oh that's nothing. Watch what my boat will do.' He was doing circles, like donuts, and at some point he was ejected or fell so it was an unmanned boat with the throttle on doing circles."
Troska, and two other men, Luke Muccigrosso of Port St. Lucie and Andres Blanco, both 22, swam from the beach to help Dragan and were run over by Dragan's boat when they tried to climb into the vessel to stop it.
Troska died at the scene. Muccigrosso and Blanco were taken to Lawnwood Medical Center with injuries. Dragan was not injured, said the report.
Officials said alcohol was a factor in the incident.
The investigation is ongoing.
This story has been updated to reflect the victim's correct last name.
