Longtime boat captain injured in Mid-Bay wreck

A part of the East Pass family is in critical condition at Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola.

Capt. Virgal Snellgrose, who docks his charter boat Windwalker II at East Pass Marina, is currently at Sacred Heart Hospital.

“It’s kind of a wait-and-see situation,” said Capt. Mike Eller, who visited Snellgrose Thursday afternoon.
“Things are still very much up in the air.”

Snellgrose, 47, flipped his Mercedes north of the Mid-Bay Bridge just before 9 p.m. Tuesday. The car hit a tree and a knocked a utility pole across the southbound lanes of White Point Road before it landed on its roof just south of Old Post Road.

Snellgrose was taken by ambulance to Twin Cities Hospital in Niceville before a helicopter carried him to Sacred Heart. The FHP’s initial crash report listed the crash as fatal.

Snellgrose’s passenger, 38-year-old William Pugh of Crestview, also was taken to Sacred Heart with serious injuries, the FHP reported. He has been discharged, a hospital official said.

Eller said that Snellgrose, known as “Vern” on the docks, is suffering from broken ribs and head trauma.

Snellgrose, a captain for more than 20 years, comes from a long line of fishermen.

His grandfather, Marvin Snellgrose, was a boat captain.

“He comes from a fishing family,” Eller said.

When Eller first bought the Fish-N-Fool, which now docks about two slips down from Windwalker II, Snellgrose was the first mate on his boat.

“Although he was a captain, he was my deckhand,” Eller said. “He kind of held my hand and showed me how to fish for big fish.”

Eller went on to describe Snellgrose as a “happy-go-lucky ... always smiling ... there to pat you on the back,” kind of guy. “He’s a lot of fun to be around.”

“He’s part of the East Pass family, and we’re all praying for him,” Eller said.

FHP investigators have determined alcohol was a factor in the crash. A trooper reported Snellgrose was driving fast northbound on the bridge when he went through the toll booth and failed to negotiate a left-hand curve.

Neither he nor Pugh were wearing a seatbelt, according to the crash report.

Florida Freedom Newspapers contributed to this report.