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USA Today
08-04-2025
- USA Today
Florida captain seen in viral confrontation with fisherman arrested, charged
Florida captain seen in viral confrontation with fisherman arrested, charged Show Caption Hide Caption FULL VIDEO: 'Boat rage' caught on camera A Florida boat captain arguing with a fisherman was caught on camera. The video shows the boat captain climbing onto the fisherman's boat to demand an apology. Fox - 13 News A Florida boat captain has been has been arrested and charged after he was captured on camera in a viral confrontation with a fisherman. The footage, titled "Charter Captain jumps on my boat and tries to fight me for no reason," has garnered over 500,000 views on YouTube. It shows the April 1 conflict between 22-year-old Gage Towles and 40-year-old Brock Horner. Horner, owner of Tarpon Coast Fishing Charters, has since been arrested and charged with burglary with assault or battery following an investigation, according to Punta Gorda Police Department and the Daytona Beach News-Journal, part of the USA TODAY Network. In the video, Towles is fishing alone in a boat near a bridge when Horner and four men approach him in another boat. Horner asked Towles in the video if he was "cussing" him out earlier that day. "No," he responded. Horner, convinced he was the same person, continued screaming at Towles in the video, who said he had him confused with someone else and told him he can't come "flying through the bridge area." That set off Horner even more, who at one point asked Towles if he "wants to (expletive) go." Towles responds "I don't wanna go ... I want you to get the (expletive) out of here." He reminded Horner that he had approached him and he was just trying to fish. 'Best charter captain you will ever meet' In the video, Towles asks if Horner is trying to be "tough in front of his buddies," and Horner responded that the three of them are veterans. Towles thanks him for his service. But the video shows Horner continues to swear and yell. Towles keeps telling Horner it was the kid in the other boat, but Horner won't listen, talking about how the fishermen need to have their lights on in the morning, which Towles said he did, and it was the other boat without lights. "I'm sorry, I don't know if that's what you want to hear, bro," he tells Horner. Horner continues, saying he's the "best charter captain you will ever meet in your (expletive) life," a line that has since gone viral on social media. Then, the video shows him jumping into Towles' boat, hitting the throttle and the boat taking off with the two of them inside. "Please, bro," Towles said in the video. "I'm a kid, bro." "According to the investigation, Horner pulled his vessel alongside the victim's boat without permission and unlawfully boarded it," Punta Gorda Police said in a statement. "During the unauthorized entry, Horner reportedly threatened the victim, escalating the situation into a criminal offense." Toward the end of the video, Towles drove him back to his boat, apologizing, while Horner continued threatening him. In the caption of his YouTube video, Towles said he shared it to "save another person" or "possibly someone's life by getting this captain off the water." According to police, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and the U.S. Coast Guard have also opened investigations into the matter. Florida crime: Man arrested after woman whispers 'help me' to Amazon delivery driver Brock Horner since bonded out of jail Horner's attorney said that his client has apologized to the Towles, and "is not proud of how he acted," Gulf Coast News reported. "Since the video went viral, Brock's business has been destroyed, his reputation damaged, and his family — including his wife and mother—have been harassed and even threatened," the statement obtained by the outlet said. The attorney's statement noted that Horner is a decorated veteran who served in Afghanistan and suffered "a traumatic brain injury in combat." Jail records viewed by USA TODAY show that Horner bonded out of Charlotte County Jail on April 5. Towles' attorney, Steven Leskovich, released a statement Monday asking people to stand down on threats against Horner's family. "While no boater, no fisherman, and no person should ever have to endure the experience that Mr. Towles went through and the emotional aftermath that has followed, Mr. Horner's actions will be dealt with through the appropriate channels of the justice system," Leskovich said in the statement. Taylor Ardrey is a news reporter for USA TODAY. You can reach her at tardrey@
Yahoo
05-04-2025
- Yahoo
Police address viral confrontation between Florida charter captain, fisherman
PUNTA GORDA, Fla. (WFLA) — The Punta Gorda Police Department addressed the viral confrontation Saturday morning, between a Florida charter captain and a fisherman that led to an arrest earlier this week. Around 7:30 p.m. on April 1, 40-year-old Brock Horner pulled his boat alongside the victim's boat and boarded it without permission. Previous coverage: Florida charter captain arrested after viral confrontation with fisherman, police say In the video, which has since gone viral, the fisherman, Gage Towles, tells Horner he can't go flying underneath the 41 bridge in Punta Gorda, roughly 10 feet from the other boat. Horner was upset about an incident on March 30 around 5:30 a.m., regarding Towles and others fishing in the dark without their lights on in the same area. The charter captain is heard screaming, cursing and becoming aggressive toward Towles before he jumps aboard the victim's boat. Horner threatened Towles and grabbed him by the shirt, demanding him to apologize for the prior incident. After police conducted several interviews with the victim and witnesses, they established probable cause to arrest Horner in connection with the unlawful boarding and threats under Florida Statue 810.02(2)(A) – Burglary with Assault or Battery (non-forced entry). As of Friday night, Horner remains in the Charlotte County Jail. Previous coverage: North Port firefighter was with charter captain caught on camera berating boater, chief says 'This type of behavior will not be tolerated in our waterways—or anywhere else in our city,' Punta Gorda Police Chief Pam Smith said. 'We are committed to ensuring the safety of our residents and visitors, both on land and on the water.' To watch the entirety of the viral video, click here. Along with the police department's investigation, the Florida and Fish and Wildlife and the U.S. Coast Guard are conducting separate investigations given the nature and location of the incident. Punta Gorda police said further details will be released as the investigation continues. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
05-04-2025
- Yahoo
Charter captain arrested following confrontation captured on viral video
The Brief The man at the center of a boating rage incident has been arrested. Brock Horner, 40, was taken into custody Friday night. Video of the incident was recorded by the alleged victim, Gage Towles. PUNTA GORDA, Fla. - The man at the center of a boating rage incident in Punta Gorda was arrested Friday night. The backstory Charter captain Brock Horner, 40, was taken into custody and charged with burglary with assault or battery, non-forced entry. On April 1, Horner was captured on video screaming at a young boater, Gage Towles, in the Peace River. He is seen pulling his boat alongside Towles' boat without permission and unlawfully boarding it, according to a joint news release by the Punta Gorda Police Department, the U.S. Coast Guard and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. The incident was captured on video that Towles recorded. Horner is accused of threatening Towles, escalating the incident into a criminal offense, according to investigators. In addition to the criminal investigation, the U.S. Coast Guard and the FWC are conducting separate investigations due to the location of the incident. What they're saying "This type of behavior will not be tolerated in our waterways—or anywhere else in our city," said Punta Gorda Police Chief Pam Smith. "We are committed to ensuring the safety of our residents and visitors, both on land and on the water." Horner is being held at the Charlotte County Jail.. The Source Information for this story was provided by a joint press release from the Punta Gorda Police Department, the U.S. Coast Guard and FWC. STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 13 TAMPA: Download the FOX Local app for your smart TV Download FOX Local mobile app: Apple | Android Download the FOX 13 News app for breaking news alerts, latest headlines Download the SkyTower Radar app Sign up for FOX 13's daily newsletter Follow FOX 13 on YouTube
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Yahoo
Boaters Get Into Wild, Heated Confrontation On Florida Waters, Cops Investigating
Two boaters got into a heated altercation while out on Florida waters earlier this week ... and the confrontation got so intense, cops say they're now investigating the matter. The incident happened on Tuesday ... when Gage Towles, a fisherman, was approached by Brock Horner, a clearly ticked-off, self-proclaimed charter captain. In video Towles shared on his YouTube page, you can see Horner appeared upset with Towles over the way he and a few others had interacted with him as he passed underneath the bridge a few days prior. Horner asked Towles over and over again why he had cussed at him. Towles said he didn't, but those around him did -- as they were peeved with the speed at which he steered by them. The guys argued for several minutes ... before Horner actually jumped onto Towles' boat in a menacing manner. Towles pleaded with the man to "chill" -- and then he apologized repeatedly, while screaming, "I'm a kid!" After some heated moments, Towles mercifully drove Horner back to his boat ... and the quarrel subsided. The Punta Gorda Police Department said in a statement Wednesday a police report related to the incident has been filed ... and its detectives are now probing the matter. It added the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission as well as the U.S. Coast Guard are assisting in the investigation. So far, no arrests have been made. TMZ Sports has reached out to Towles for comment, but we've yet to hear back.
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Yahoo
Florida charter captain seen arguing with boater in viral video; police investigating
PUNTA GORDA, Fla. (WFLA) — A viral video showing a fight between two Florida boaters has sparked both a police investigation and strong reactions from people online. The Punta Gorda Police Department said Thursday a police report had been filed, and officers were investigating the incident, which happened under the Barron Collier Bridge on April 1. Fake PayPal employee tricks Florida woman out of her money: deputies 'The event has garnered significant attention on social media, and we are receiving numerous calls to dispatch requesting that the department take action,' the police department wrote in a Facebook post. As of Thursday afternoon, the video had been shared by over 25,000 people on Facebook and garnered over 76,000 reactions and comments. The video, which contains explicit language, was also shared to YouTube, where over 37,000 people had watched. It appears to show a little over four minutes of the two boaters' argument. Mid-video, a man who identified himself as a charter captain could be seen climbing aboard the other boater's vessel, who then began shouting, 'Please, bro, I'm a kid.' Police said that the incident was between two adults. Officers have not released any further details regarding the incident or their investigation. The Punta Gorda Police Department is asking that people do not call to report the situation as they are already aware and calls to dispatch could slow down response to emergency situations. Officials said the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and U.S. Coast Guard are also investigating. This is a developing story. Stay up to date on the latest from News Channel 8 on-air and on the go with the free . Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
