Milner man among two killed in Florida boat crash

A 56-year-old Milner man was among two people killed when two boats collided in a narrow cut in Apalachicola, Fla. April 29.

Dorsey Metts, 56, a Pike County native, was dead at the scene. Ruth Diaz, 69, of Griffin was mortally injured and died sometime later at Bay Medical Center in Panama City.

Metts and Diaz were aboard a 21-foot K-2 Marine flats boat operated by James Maxwell, 49, of Apalachicola. Maxwell was using the cut to go from Scipio Creek to the Apalachicola River when his craft was struck by a 23-foot Parker flats boat piloted by Austin Finch, 23, also of Apalachicola.
Finch’s boat went over the top of Maxwell’s boat, sinking it.

Two other passengers were aboard Maxwell’s craft at the time of the collision. Jennifer Davis, 34, was injured and required surgery. James Davis, 37, was shaken but not seriously hurt.
Maxwell and Finch were not seriously hurt.