Earl S. Brookins, best known as Steve Brookins of the band 38 Special, was injured in a fatal boat crash on June 14, according to News4JAX. The fatality is a woman named Heather Anan, described as Brookins’ best friend, perished in the incident, which occurred in Clay County, Florida’s Black Creek. In the initial news report by Action News Jax, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission claimed the vessel’s driver, Brookins, struck a dock while traveling at high speed. Anan was ejected from the boat by the collision and died. Brooks was hospitalized with head, back and arm injuries but was described as being in non-critical condition.
New4JAX’s reporting identified Brookins as the 38 Special rocker. Brookins served as 38 Special’s drummer from its inception in 1974 until he left the group in 1987. That period was the band’s heyday, with the musician playing on the band’s biggest hits, including 1981’s “Hold On Loosely” and 1982’s “Caught up in You.” Those songs in particular have remained huge over the years and have been used in movies, TV shows and video game franchises like Rock Band and Guitar Hero. However, Brookins does not appear to have any involvement with 38 Special’s current iteration fronted by fellow founder Don Barnes, which still tours.
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The second report discusses former details of the crash and includes statements from Anan’s family. New4JAX reports the vessel in question was 20-feet long, traveling westward, and crashed near Creekside Trail. Charges in the crash were said to be pending and the time and whether or not the crash was alcohol-related was unclear. Police told Elrod’s mother, Rebekah Elrod, that the boat likely struck the dock at between 50-60 miles per hour. Anan is believed to have died on impact, though a neighbor near the crash site attempted to give her CPR.
“The police officers, I asked them time again, I need to know, did she see it coming? They said no, she did not see it coming and she died on impact,” Elrod said. “As a mom, that’s good for me. She didn’t suffer.”
As far as more details about the crash, Anan’s mom says it was a typical outing for the pair. “They were just out on the boat. It was in the morning, they had music playing,” Elrod said. “They went out on the boat all the time.” She described her daughter as “just effervescent” and “always happy.”
Elrod also described Brookins as a family friend of 12 years and believes the crash was a tragic accident. She has talked to the former 38 Special member amid his hospitalization and appears to hold no ill towards him. She says she told him, “Accidents happen. I don’t want you to feel that guilt.”
Brookins nor his former band have made any public statements on the crash as of press time.
