Cross City man dies Friday in
boating accident near Steinhatchee

By Carrie A. Mizell

Charles D. Sheppard

A longtime elementary school physical education teacher in Dixie County died on Friday after he was struck by a boat while snorkeling for scallops near Steinhatchee.
Charles D. Sheppard, 60, of Cross City was snorkeling southwest of Rocky Creek on Friday when he was struck by a pontoon boat driven by Jeffery A. Tucker, 45, of Ocala.
According to Karen Parker, of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), Tucker and the other occupants of his boat pulled Sheppard from the water and attempted first aid before transporting Sheppard to Sea Hag Marina in Steinhatchee.
Emergency medical personnel were not able to save Sheppard, who had worked as a teacher and coach at Anderson Elementary School in Cross City for 36 years.
FWC officials indicated that there were five other adults, along with six children, all of Ocala, in Tucker’s 2005 22-foot Hurricane deck boat at the time of the accident.
In addition to the FWC responding to the scene Friday afternoon, officials from the Dixie County Sheriff’s Office and Fire/Rescue and the Florida Highway Patrol also were on the scene.
At press time, FWC investigators were continuing to investigate the accident. Parker did say on Monday that officials believe Sheppard died after being cut by the propeller on the motor of the boat. Additional information will be available once a full autopsy, which was being conducted earlier this week, is completed at the Medical Examiner’s Office in Jacksonville.