Taylor County teacher dies in local boating accident

By Carrie A. Mizell

A 49-year-old Perry woman died Sunday in a collision that caused her to be ejected from a personal watercraft she was riding on the Santa Fe River near Ellie Ray’s boat ramp.
According to investigators from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission (FWC), Susie Cruce Brown, 49, of Perry died about half a mile upstream from the confluence of the Suwannee and Santa Fe rivers.
Witnesses to the accident reported that Brown was headed downstream on the Santa Fe, riding a 1996 Yamaha Waveraider personal watercraft. Another personal watercraft, a 10-foot 1997 Bombardier Sea-Doo, being operated by Steven Alexander, 24, also of Perry, was reportedly traveling on plane behind Brown’s personal watercraft when the accident happened.
Brown stopped and Alexander collided into her, ejecting Brown from her personal watercraft. Alexander and another operator got Brown out of the water and took her ashore to a nearby dock, FWC officials reported.
Other boaters attempted CPR, as did medical personnel from Gilchrist County EMS once they arrived on scene.
According to FWC officials, Brown was transported to Shands Lake Shore Hospital in Lake City, where she was pronounced dead.
On the day of the accident, Brown had apparently been riding the personal watercraft with a group of three others, all on personal watercrafts. FWC officials pointed out that the group had launched from Sandy Point Marina.
At press time, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s investigation was ongoing.
An autopsy by the medical examiner’s office is expected to determine a cause of death.
Brown had worked for the Taylor County School Board for 28 years. At the time of her death, Brown was working as a family literacy teacher.
Brown is survived by her husband, Ernest “Butch” Brown, one son, Joshua Wells, five stepchildren and 10 grandchildren.
Funeral services for Brown will be conducted at Pleasant Grove Baptist Church on Friday, April 16 at 2 p.m. The family will receive friends from 6 to 9 p.m. on Thursday evening at Joe P. Burns Funeral Home in Perry, Fla.