EXCLUSIVE Sordid history of millionaire skipper Jeff Knight at the helm in fatal Clearwater ferry crash includes another boating disaster and groping female employee

Daily Mail​

29-04-2025

The skipper of the boat that slammed into a packed ferry killing a 41-year-old husband is a wealthy local entertainment tycoon once accused of negligence in another boating accident, DailyMail.com can exclusively reveal.
Jeffry Knight, 62 – who has multiple venues in St Petersburg, Florida, and lives in a $5.2million waterfront mansion – was at the helm of the 37-foot triple-engine vessel when it hit the Clearwater Ferry on Sunday night.
Ten people among the 45 aboard the 40-foot ferry were injured in the 'mass casualty' horror as families were being shuttled on the final night of Clearwater's popular Sugar Sand Festival.
Knight's boat carrying six passengers left after the crash and was found more than three-miles south by law enforcement, who guided it on to a ramp beside the Belleair Causeway and led him away.
Authorities say Knight has cooperated with them and a breath test showed there was no trace of alcohol in his system. So far, he has not been charged with any offense.
However, DailyMail.com can reveal Knight has a lengthy and largely minor rap sheet that includes two DUIs and being accused of 'careless operation of a vessel'.
He is also currently facing a damning civil court case where he is accused of seriously sexually assaulting one of his female staff at his showpiece Jannus Live concert venue in St. Petersburg.
Additionally, Knight was previously accused in a lawsuit of the 2012 death of a friend who slipped as he was leaving his yacht, named Pure Knight Life, and hit his head on the way down into the water.
The ferry was badly damaged in the collision that killed one passenger. Knight, who has a lengthy rap sheet that includes two DUIs and being accused of 'careless operation of a vessel' was skipper of the other vessel
The family of James Young launched a civil action, alleging wrongful death on the basis that Knight's gangplank to the dock was 'inherently dangerous' because it didn't have a two-sided railing.
Officials said Young had cocaine in his system and his blood-alcohol level was three times the legal limit for driving in Florida.
Knight, who owns Jannus Live, the Ringside Café, the Pelican Pub, MacDinton's Irish Pub and Detroit Liquors, was first accused of DUI in April 2002, according to Pinellas County Circuit Court records. He pleaded no contest and was ordered to pay fines and costs of $650.
Five years later he was convicted of reckless driving, to which he pleaded guilty after accepting a reduced charge from another original DUI accusation.
And in 2012, he once more faced a DUI charge, again pleading no contest before being adjudicated guilty, according to records.
In 2017, he was accused of a maritime offense: being careless in the operation of a vessel. He pleaded no contest.
But he is currently facing serious sexual allegations by a former female employee in Pinellas County Circuit Court – with paperwork claiming he is a 'known sexual harasser'.
DailyMail.com is not naming the woman in the court documents due to the nature of the allegations.
Knight is facing serious sexual assault allegations from a former female bodyguard who worked at Jannus Live
She alleged that she was warned by a coworker to stay away from Knight. But at a concert in 2023, he allegedly attempted to make an advance towards her
She also alleged that during the exchange, he put her hands between her legs and rubbed his hand quickly before asking her to 'Uber home with me'
The female ex-security guard alleged the attack happened during a concert in June, 2023. Her attorney writes that she was warned by another staff member to 'walk away' if Knight approached her.
'After the concert, Knight comes up behind (the woman) He walks up close to her. He stares directly in her eyes,' says the amended complaint to the court.
It continues: 'Knight tells (the woman) "you're so damn pretty".
'Knight tells (the woman) that he bought "Jannus Live and the whole block". He says, "Not bad for someone who didn't finish 8th grade".'
Another security guard attempted to intervene in Knight's alleged advances, with the attorney writing: 'As Knight talks, Tracy Holden walks up… asks Knight, "Are you going to harass her now?" Knight touches or hugs Ms Holden and she walks away.'
The complaint says Knight comes closer to the woman put his hands on her face and says, "you're so beautiful" before leaning in and hanging on to her.
'Knight licks the side of her face,' it continues. 'Knight puts his hands on (the woman's) back and lowers his arm to her rear end. He thrusts his hands between her legs.
'Knight rubs his hand back and forth between (the woman's) legs. He does this quickly.'
The female employee then reportedly looked for a security guard to help her before Knight allegedly said: "Why don't you Uber home with me?"
Five days later, the woman went to the company's human resources department alleging Knight treated her like 'a piece of meat'.
According to the complaint, the female HR officer told her: 'I can speak with him, but it will mean nothing'. She also said Knight was probably drunk again and will not remember, says the filing.
The woman left her job of three months and is claiming constructive dismissal, sexual assault and battery, negligent supervision, sexual harassment and retaliation. She is suing for more than $50,000 and punitive damages. Her attorney wrote to court in January this year saying the case is ready for jury trial.
'A corporate owner such as Jeffry Knight may not touch, grab, rub, lick or sexually molest his employees,' her attorney writes.
In a motion to dismiss the complaint, Knight's attorney says the businessman 'had a conversation as evidenced by surveillance video.. this conversation was not sexual in nature'.
The former security guard made a draft complaint shortly after the alleged incident where she 'made several outrageous and extreme claims.. and what he allegedly did to her,' says the motion.
'Interestingly and tellingly, Plaintiff changed some of the more outrageous claims after she was provided a copy of the video.'
Knight lives in luxury at his palatial 12,000-square-foot pad complete with six bedrooms and eight bathrooms which he bought for $3million in 2017 – with a $2million loan, according to records.
The mansion, edging on to an exclusive stretch of water in an exclusive enclave in Largo, is now worth an estimated $5.2million.
During the pandemic, Knight went to war with the city of St. Petersburg in 2021 after he was cited 16 times for his businesses ignoring the mask mandate.
Officials on Monday named the man killed in the ferry horror as husband and father Jose Castro, 41, from nearby Palm Harbor, Florida.
Knight was identified as the operator of the center console boat in the tragedy by Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, which is investigating the crash.
Horrific video released by Clearwater Police shows the ferry traveling east of the channel near Memorial Causeway bridge and Knight's boat coming up at speed from behind in calm waters.
Chief Eric Gandy said at a news conference Monday: 'There's a point of impact where it looks to be that it overrode nearly three-quarters of the ferry.'
911 dispatchers heard 'horrific screaming' in the background minutes after the horror.
And harrowing audio released by the Coast Guard reveals a crew member's plea for help in a call with the words: 'Mayday, mayday, mayday. There's been a boat collision. The Clearwater Ferry, uh, underneath the Clearwater Memorial Causeway. The Clearwater Ferry is adrift.'
Passenger Marco Vacheco told 10 Tampa Bay: 'It was like a big yacht, It hit from behind, like it came through where the captain sits, like he was pinned down.'
His pregnant wife Brenda Alvarez told ABC Action News that she hadn't 'felt the baby move' since the crash and was heading to hospital to have it checked out.
Alvarez, on board with her husband and their two children, fell between two seats when the recreational boat slammed the ferry, which caused her 'whole body to hurt'.
Rob Shaw, spokesman for Clearwater police and the fire and rescue service, said: 'It was a chaotic scene when we got there. There were some patients being picked up by neighboring boats.
'Good Samaritans were trying to help. There were other patients who were walking ashore because of the shallow waters here off the bridge.'
Clearwater Ferry said in a statement: 'We are heartbroken for the person who lost their life, everyone who was hurt and their families.
'We deeply appreciate the dedication of the first responders and others who rushed to help Sunday night. We are cooperating with the investigation. Safety is the top priority for PSTA and the Clearwater Ferry.'