SANFORD, Fla. – The Sanford Fire Department announced on Saturday that Lt. Mike Salber passed away from injuries sustained in a boating accident.
Two powerboats, which can reach speeds of 75 mph, collided while racing on the St. Johns River around 1:50 p.m. during the third day of the P1 Jacksonville Grand Prix powerboat races.
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Salber, 56, leaves behind four children: three sons and a daughter, ages 17, 18, 20 and 22, according to his girlfriend, Melanie Jeanine.
Jeanine told News 6 partner WJXT-TV that she had been dating Salber for the past year and a half. She said she was watching the race and saw him crash.
The boat that Salber was in shot into the air before landing on top of him.
“He always walks away. The fire chief from Cocoa Beach got the fire chief from Jacksonville to drive me to a room. I heard they knew he was gone when they got him. That he died instantly. I got to stay with him until his children got there,” Jeanine said.
According to a post on Salber's Facebook page, Salber "died doing what he loved...racing."
Salber's body will be released and firefighters from Sanford will take part in a procession to Orlando.
Check back to ClickOrlando.com for more updates on this story.