Latest news with #SarasotaPoliceDepartment
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Gov. DeSantis signs laws cracking down on squatters in Florida
The Brief Governor Ron DeSantis signed two bills to protect motels, hotels, restaurants and commercial business owners from squatters. The governor said other states will regret letting squatting get out of hand. The new law expedites the process for commercial property owners to get rid of squatters. SARASOTA, Fla. - Squatting is a growing problem nationwide, including in Florida, and a state law passed last year aimed at protecting homeowners from squatters. However, Governor Ron DeSantis signed two bills on Monday that strengthen Florida's crackdown on squatting. The new measures give more rights to commercial property owners as well as owners of motels, hotels and restaurants. Follow FOX 13 on YouTube Local perspective The Westin Sarasota provides a luxurious stay for guests, but in August, one woman outstayed her welcome. After causing scenes in the hotel pool and dining area, the manager called the Sarasota Police Department. Body camera footage posted on YouTube by Florida Cop Cam showed the struggle to make her leave. "She had a lot of erratic behavior. Yesterday she was drinking at the rooftop and got really intoxicated. We asked her to leave. She kept coming back," said the manager. READ: Rep. Castor calls out federal government for removing hurricane assistance Big picture view Lawmakers want to make sure hotel, motel, restaurant and commercial property owners are protected from squatters. "It's a big win for the hotel industry. Hospitality industry as a whole. We are excited about this bill and what it does, it protects the hotels and innkeepers," said Gil Reyes, the regional general manager for Westin Sarasota. Senate Bill 322 expedites the process for law enforcement to remove unauthorized occupants from commercial properties. It also provides property owners with a streamlined process to regain possession of their property while also protecting them from financial losses and property damage due to squatters. Senate Bill 606 strengthens the rights of hotels and food establishments while preventing hotel guests from claiming residency. MORE: International students face uncertainty as U.S. visa interviews halted "You're either paying or you're not and if you're not, it shouldn't evolve into some major landlord tenant dispute; The person should just be escorted off the property and leave. I think this is something that will be really good for our economy. Property rights are really important. If you don't have private property rights you cannot have a free society," said DeSantis. Why you should care State Representative Peggy Gossett-Sideman of Boca Raton brought the issue to light. "They run under the radar, because we didn't have the teeth in the statues to try and remove them in all cases," she said. Sarasota County Sheriff Kurt Hoffman said it's a problem his deputies have run into. "Those folks are trying to make money, pay their employees, pay their rent. Many times we would come in there and find the facilities destroyed," he said. READ: Gov. DeSantis vetoes Florida medical malpractice bill to repeal 'Free Kill' law The bills now give business and property owners stronger rights to protect what they've worked to build. "Having that language in there that defines what transient is makes it easier for my deputies to go out and get these folks out and restore that," said Hoffman. What's next Senate bill 322 introduces specific criminal penalties for unauthorized occupancy and fraudulent property listings. The bill aims to stop squatters from teaching or encouraging others to do the same. The Source The information was gathered by FOX 13's Kimberly Kuizon at a bill signing by Governor Ron DeSantis today in Sarasota. 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
Miami Herald
30-04-2025
- Miami Herald
‘Coastal cowboys.' Cop wrangles runaway boat when driver falls off, FL video shows
When a boater was thrown overboard, his unmanned vessel was left circling off the coast of Florida at nearly 40 mph as authorities struggled to stop it from afar. That's when a police lieutenant jumped on. According to the Sarasota Police Department, the operator was on his way back from a boat show April 28 when a larger vessel cut in front of his 26-foot boat, creating a wake that threw him overboard. He wasn't wearing an engine cut-off switch, so the boat kept going without anyone behind the controls, stuck going in circles at a high speed, police said. U.S. Coast Guard officials said a Good Samaritan picked up the overthrown boater, who wasn't wearing a life jacket either. The Coast Guard worked with two police departments, the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office and SeaTow to control the boat, but their attempts to stall the engine by throwing tow lines didn't stop it. SeaTow managed to throw a rope that slowed the vessel down enough so police officers could try a more hands-on approach. Video shared by the Sarasota Police Department shows the agency's marine unit pull up alongside the runaway boat and match the speed as a lieutenant crouched on the edge. When the vessels were lined up just right, he jumped onto the runaway boat, quickly bringing the throttle down. Footage of the boat wrangling gained traction on social media, with Instagram users likening the officers to 'coastal cowboys' doing 'salt water cowboy stuff.' 'Not gonna lie I know this is super dangerous and an incredible feat the officers pulled off here, but, it looks really fun,' one user commented on a video reposted by the Qualified Captain account. The police department commended the officers who participated. 'And after it's all said and done, with everyone safe and unharmed, and no damage to any vessel—we can look back and enjoy a little excitement… Mission Impossible style,' the agency said. Neither of the boats involved sustained any damage during the operation. Authorities said the incident is a good reminder to wear a life jacket and engine cut-off switch, which boat operators can attach to their clothes to disable the vessel in case they go overboard. All boat drivers are required to wear an engine cut-off switch while operating a vessel under 26 feet, according to the Coast Guard.
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Yahoo
Police who boarded unmanned Sarasota boat stress importance of using engine cut-off switches
The Brief Sarasota police chased down and boarded an out-of-control unmanned boat Monday. The boat's operator was not utilizing the boat's emergency engine cut-off switch, according to police. Police are using Monday's incident as a teaching opportunity to stress the importance of using engine cut-off switches. SARASOTA, Fla. - The officers in Sarasota who chased down and boarded an unmanned, out-of-control boat on Monday are using it to show why emergency engine cut-off switches are so important. The officers were able to turn off the engine before a possible disaster. A large wake threw the vessel's operator overboard as the boat was traveling about 40 mph. "There were three vessels that departed from Marina Jack," said Officer Ron Dixon, a captain with the Sarasota Police Department's Marine Patrol. "They were headed back to their home port. The operator that was on the smaller boat that got thrown off was behind a larger boat that had cut in front of him. While he was navigating that wake, he maybe had turned a little too hard and was actually thrown off of the vessel." What they're saying "Obviously, he was a little dazed by that. When he got his wits about him, he noticed that the boat was actually circling towards him, and according to him, passed within five feet of him," said Dixon. PREVIOUS: Florida officer leaps onto runaway boat after man thrown overboard The operator of the 26-foot Everglades vessel broke two fingers in his left hand from the impact with the water. According to Sarasota police, he wasn't wearing a life jacket or utilizing the emergency engine cut-off switch. "He was very apologetic. He was very happy that he was alive and uninjured, just, you know, just his left hand," Dixon said. "These emergency cut-off switches are so important. If he would have been wearing one, none of this would have happened." If a vessel operator falls overboard, an emergency cut-off switch immediately turns the engine off. According to Dixon, wireless and Bluetooth cut-off switches are also available. Timeline The incident happened in the middle of the Intracoastal Waterway north of the Ringling Museum. Dixon said he was on scene in about five minutes, and his first priority was to keep all other boaters away from the area. He said no one realized initially that the boat was unmanned. "That vessel was traveling 40 miles per hour. By itself, it could have T-boned any of the many vessels that were transiting through the area," Dixon said. "It was a very, very dangerous situation there in the beginning." He called for backup, which included Lieutenant Bruce King. READ: Clearwater Ferry crash: Jannus Live owner's attorney addresses 'misinformation' as investigation unfolds The Sarasota Police Marine Unit, the Coast Guard, the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office, Venice Police Department and SeaTow worked together to try several times to slow the vessel's motor with towlines. Those attempts were unsuccessful. Then, SeaTow deployed a plasma towline that slightly slowed the vessel. "That little bit was enough to say let's try it again [hopping aboard the boat]," King said. King said his gut told him the first attempt wasn't right before that. "The boat was doing circles. It was not doing a perfect circle. So, it was migrating kind of in a northeast direction," King said, describing the second attempt. "It would have eventually hit somebody or someone. So, we took our shot, and I wouldn't have done it with anybody else but Ron Dixon or Michael Skinner. Our two boat captains are very skilled." Dixon maneuvered close enough to the vessel for King to hop on board and shut it off. "I calculated it. Ron had it perfectly set up. Mike was holding me. I took the jump, and it wasn't until afterward that, you know, you get the adrenaline dump and say, 'Wow, that was pretty neat," King said. "We had to do something because this boat was going to hit somebody or someone at some point," King said. "This happens a lot, too much, and unfortunately for local and state agencies, we are unable to enforce when they're not wearing it [the cut-off switch]," Dixon said. "That's a federal law. Coast Guard can write them [up], but us being out there and seeing it all the time, we educate, and that's about all we can do." The federal law requires operators of recreational boats under 26 feet long to use an engine cut-off switch. Prior Incidents Dixon also responded to a similar incident in 2020 that tragically took the life of 10-year-old Ethan Isaacs. He was out with Sarasota Youth Sailing when, the FWC said, his instructor fell off his boat and wasn't wearing an emergency cut-off switch. That boat ran into Ethan and killed him. "He was in the sixth grade and a really smart, joyful kid, just full of life and wanted to be a geologist one day," said Mindy Isaacs, Ethan's mom. "It's really just not worth the risk of losing a child. I mean, that day that Ethan was on the water, there were 16 other kids on the water in the area. I don't think people really realize often, too, the danger of a propeller," said Mindy Isaacs. READ: Family of Clearwater Ferry crash victim mourns loss as investigation continues: 'We need justice' "I mean, my dad described it like a saw in the water, and it's lurking under the water. It's not something that you always see when you're out on the water, and you're in the boat, but to really understand that when that boat becomes, you know, unmanned, no one is controlling it, and you have something similar to a saw in the water, that the damage, potential damage that it could cause," said Mindy Isaacs. Ethan's Law went into effect in 2022 and mandates that boating instructors and coaches on vessels 26 feet or smaller must wear an engine cut-off switch in Florida. His parents say an engine cut-off switch should be a requirement for all boat operators. "It's very upsetting," said Greg Isaacs, Ethan's dad, about Monday's incident. "It's sort of triggering when that happens. The engine cut-off switch should be like your seatbelt. You should automatically put it on every time you start the engine on a boat. It really could save your life, and as we saw yesterday, a lot of the first responders ended up risking their lives to bring the boat into control." "Ethan, we know, would have made a difference in the world, just given, you know, his intellect and who he was as a person, and he would be someone that would consider other people's safety," said Mindy Isaacs. "So, it is really sad to think that, you know, this had to happen when it could have been prevented." Big picture view Officers who responded to Monday's incident said they had just gone to a training session for this type of maneuver two weeks ago. They said if you see an unmanned boat out of control, get out of the area, warn others and call 911. CLICK HERE:>>>Follow FOX 13 on YouTube The Source FOX 13's Kailey Tracy collected the information in this story. WATCH FOX 13 NEWS: 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
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Yahoo
Florida boat seen going nearly 40 mph after throwing driver overboard, police say
The Brief Police say a 26-foot boat was cruising down the water unmanned on Monday. The Sarasota Police Department says the boater was thrown overboard after a larger boat cut it off. The boater suffered minor injuries. SARASOTA, Fla. - A man was thrown from a boat on Monday in Sarasota, causing the boat to go unmanned for a period of time. What we know The Sarasota Police Department says calls alerted them to the crewless boat traveling nearly 40 miles per hour, north of the Ringling Museum. Police say the boater told them he was thrown from the boat after going through a larger boat's wake after it cut him off on his way back from this weekend's Boat Show at Marina Jack. First responders say it took multiple attempts to slow the boat down, first trying to turn off its motor with towlines before using a plasma towline to slow it down. This reduction in speed allowed an officer to safely maneuver alongside the vessel, providing another officer the ability to board the boat and bring it to a stop. READ: Clearwater Ferry crash: Boat involved in deadly hit-and-run has been located, authorities say The boater, who was not wearing a life jacket or using the boat's emergency cut-off switch, suffered minor injuries. What we don't know Police did not release the identity of the boater or any information about any other boat involved in the incident. CLICK HERE:>>>Follow FOX 13 on YouTube Big picture view SPD urges boaters to wear life jackets and use emergency engine cut-off switches to help prevent accidents and injuries on the water. The Source The information in this story was provided by the Sarasota Police Department. WATCH FOX 13 NEWS LIVE: 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
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Sarasota doctor arrested for sexual battery, police believe there may be more potential victims
The Brief A Sarasota doctor was arrested for sexual battery on two young women. Police believe there may be more victims that haven't come forward. He was the medical director for the Brain Wave Center in Sarasota. SARASOTA, Fla. - He was supposed to be treating patients for pain and trauma, but the Sarasota Police Department said Dr. Stephen Feig committed sexual battery on a woman who trusted him. The charges date back to 2023, and police believe there are additional victims that have yet to come forward. According to a police report, the Brain Wave Center in Sarasota is where Feig, the medical director, first met two young women working to overcome past sexual traumas. RELATED: Medical director of a Florida holistic medical practice accused of sexual battery: SPD Local perspective The Brain Wave Center was established in 2007 to help those with depression and anxiety, and it also provides therapy for children with ADHD, autism and learning disabilities. "It's always really heartbreaking when there's a person in a position where you're supposed to trust them, and they have power, and they violate that trust," said Jessica Hays, the president and CEO of Safe Place and Rape Crisis Center (SPARCC) in Sarasota. "Patients are vulnerable, and they should be able to trust their physicians." The backstory Sarasota police said in December 2023, one patient reported 66-year-old Feig looking at and touching intimate parts of her body when he was supposed to be checking her blood pressure. He faces a battery charge and is set for trial next month. Follow FOX 13 on YouTube Big picture view But now, a second woman has come forward to Sarasota police, saying in the spring of 2023 she sought help for sexual trauma, pain and suicidal thoughts. The woman told investigators that Feig started a course of treatments she questioned that was taken outside the office and at times occurred in his Hillview apartment. According to the police report, the treatment involved inappropriate contact and her being forced to repeat, "I am safe. Dr. Feig cares about me and won't hurt me." The victim told Sarasota police that Feig had used the treatment on other women. What they're saying "It's never the victim's fault, it's always the perpetrator's fault and perpetrators do look for people who might already be vulnerable," said Hays. READ: New Pornographers drummer Joe Seiders arrested in California for alleged child porn possession Hays said women should never feel afraid to question anything that feels inappropriate. "It's important to trust your gut and if something feels wrong, it's okay to question that, it's okay to go somewhere else to talk to people about it," she said. "We have a hotline that is available 24 hours a day, and it's all confidential, you don't have to report anything, just ask questions and find out if what you're experiencing is possibly something inappropriate." The other side The Brain Wave Center told FOX 13 in a statement: "The Brain Wave Center has been made aware of the recent arrest of our Medical Director, Dr. Stephen Feig, in connection with serious criminal allegations. These allegations are deeply troubling, and we take them very seriously. Our first responsibility is to ensure a safe, supportive, and respectful environment. To that end, Evolous Management Inc., operating as Dr. Feig, has been terminated immediately. We are fully cooperating with the authorities as they conduct their investigation. The Brain Wave Center has always been guided by principles of integrity, compassion, and care. While the legal process takes its course, our leadership team is focused on reinforcing those values through clear communication, staff support, and ongoing review of our safety and oversight protocols. We understand that many may have questions or concerns, and while our ability to discuss details is limited due to the ongoing legal matter, we remain committed to transparency wherever possible." What you can do SPARCC said if you need help or someone to talk to you can contact their hotline at 941-365-1976. WATCH FOX 13 NEWS: 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
