Latest news with #SugarSandFestival
CNN
30-04-2025
- CNN
1 person died, 10 injured after a boat ‘shattered the whole back' of a ferry in Florida
A ferry ushering families from a popular sand sculpting competition in Florida was struck by a recreational boat Sunday evening in an apparent hit-and-run, killing one ferry passenger and injuring several others, police and witnesses said. The ferry was carrying people to and from the Sugar Sand Festival in Clearwater, CNN affiliate WFTS reported. The collision happened around 8:40 p.m. Sunday near the Clearwater Memorial Causeway Bridge when a 37-foot recreational boat carrying about six people struck the 40-foot ferry carrying about 45 people, according to Clearwater Police and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. The recreational boat 'overrode nearly three-quarters of the ferry,' said Clearwater Police Department Chief Eric Gandy during a Monday news conference. Of the 10 people injured, six of them were transported to local hospitals as trauma alerts, Gandy said. The incident was declared 'a mass casualty incident by the fire department due to the number of injuries,' according to Clearwater police. The man who died was identified as Jose Castro, 41, of Palm Harbor, just a few miles north of Clearwater, according to Florida Fish and Wildlife spokesperson Hailee Seely. Officials have not released the names of the people injured. The US Coast Guard and Florida Fish and Wildlife are investigating the cause of the crash. Fish and Wildlife will lead the investigation, Clearwater police said. The ferry, as an inspected commercial vessel, falls under the jurisdiction of the Coast Guard, which will review compliance with the Code of Federal Regulations, according to Nicole Groll with USCG. Brenda Alvarez, who is about eight months pregnant, was on the ferry with her husband and two young children when a crew member started yelling, 'Hey, hey, hey!' the family told CNN affiliate WFTS. Alvarez's husband turned around to see a large boat 'just come through' the ferry, he said. The other boat 'shattered the whole back of' the ferry and 'left a huge dent,' Brenda Alvarez told WFTS. 'We can't understand how fast they were going.' Officers arrived to find a 'chaotic scene,' Clearwater city spokesperson Rob Shaw told CNN affiliate Bay News 9. Nearby 'good Samaritans' used their own boats to help evacuate passengers. The ferry came to rest on a sandbar, so some on board were able to walk to shore. But 'firefighters had to go into the water and help some people,' Shaw said. Kristin Vincelli, who was also leaving the festival, shared video with CNN showing emergency vehicles rushing toward the waterfront. The recreational boat did not stay at the crash scene but it is unclear if the collision is being investigated as a hit-and-run, according to Florida Fish and Wildlife Captain Matthew Dallarosa. 'There is evidence that shows that the (recreational boat) did remain there for a period of time and then ultimately ended up at the Belleair Boat Ramp,' Dallarosa said Monday. Those injured in the collision were triaged at a separate boat ramp nearby, according to Florida Fish and Wildlife. So far, authorities have released few details about the boat that hit the ferry. As of Tuesday morning, no arrests had been made, Seely said. This story has been updated with additional information. CNN's Michelle Watson, Sarah Dewberry, Sara Smart and Martin Goillandeau contributed to this report.
Daily Mail
29-04-2025
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Sordid history of millionaire skipper Jeff Knight at the helm in fatal Clearwater ferry crash includes another boating disaster and groping female employee
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, 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, 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'. 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.'
The Independent
29-04-2025
- The Independent
Footage reveals moment boat crashes into passenger ferry in fatal Clearwater collision
Footage captured the moment a boat slammed into a passenger ferry in Florida, killing one person and injuring 10 others. There were 45 people on board the 40-foot passenger ferry Sunday night when a 37-foot private vessel, with six passengers on board, plowed into the stern at around 8.40 p.m. local time. Jose Castro, 41, of Palm Harbor, Florida, has now been named by police as the passenger who died in the crash. Police have also released video taken from a live webcam at Coachman Park along the waterfront, which shows the private boat heading straight toward the ferry while it travels eastbound in the channel. The video captures the boat striking the ferry from behind and landing across the majority of the vessel's stern. 'Mayday, mayday, mayday! There's been a boat collision. The Clearwater ferry, underneath the Clearwater Memorial Causeway. The Clearwater ferry is adrift,' a caller was heard stating to the U.S. Coast Guard in a newly released audio clip. Passengers on board the ferry had been returning from Clearwater Beach, where the Sugar Sand Festival was being held. Clearwater Police Department chief Eric Gandy said at a press conference Monday evening that the boat 'overrode nearly three-quarters of the ferry' during the collision. "Even before the first responders arrived on the scene, we knew we were dealing with a major situation,' Gandy said. 'Our 911 call takers could hear what they described as horrific screaming in the background." Pictures of the wreckage following the incident revealed the extent of the damage. 'Both boats were fully entangled, and a large amount of damage resulted to the ferry boat as a result,' Major Evan Laskowski of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission explained. With emergency workers arriving on the scene, EMS chief for Clearwater Fire Rescue Tony Tedesco said the 'mass casualty incident' became hard to manage because of the sheer number of casualties. 'We had great good samaritans who were bringing people in,' he said. 'So you could imagine being on scene with only a few personnel, and being inundated with probably 30-40 people at a time coming towards that basin, all on different boats... and us having to sift through that. It was definitely a challenge.' Ten people sustained injuries in the crash, six of whom were listed as trauma alerts, and two were airlifted to hospital. BayCare Health System said all but one had since been treated and released. Chief Gandy praised the 'life-saving efforts' of a ferry crew member who played a pivotal role in helping those on board the vessel. The boat fled the scene after the crash, but Pinellas County Sheriff's Office officials tracked it down roughly three and a half miles south of the Clearwater Memorial Causeway Bridge, where the collision occurred. The boat's driver is co-operating with the investigation being led by the U.S. Coast Guard and the FFWCC, authorities said. He voluntarily submitted to a breathalyzer test, police added, but no alcohol was found. The officials offered their condolences to the family of Castro and said that more information would follow the investigation.
New York Post
29-04-2025
- New York Post
Frantic mayday call revealed chaos after deadly Florida ferry boat collision: ‘Ferry is adrift'
Newly released audio of a mayday call captured the frantic moments in the aftermath of the deadly collision between a Florida ferry and a private boat Sunday night, which left one dead and 10 others injured. 'Mayday, mayday, mayday! There's been a boat collision. The Clearwater ferry, underneath the Clearwater Memorial Causeway. The Clearwater ferry is adrift,' the unnamed caller announced to the US Coast Guard in the eight-second audio. The water taxi, operated by PSTA and the Clearwater Ferry, was carrying 45 passengers onboard at the end of the 17-day Sugar Sand Festival. 5 A webcam captures the deadly Florida collision between a ferry and another boat on April 27, 2025. City of Clearwater The collision was quickly declared a 'mass casualty incident' by authorities who recalled the 'horrific screaming' from the background of 911 calls. Jose Castro, 41, was identified as the ferry passenger killed in the collision. Still, officials said the crash could have been worse. A worker on the ferry was hailed a hero for his actions. 'Efforts of a ferry crew member likely saved lives last night,' Clearwater Police Chief Eric Ganday said Monday. 5 The damaged Clearwater Ferry sits on a sandbar after the collision. AP 5 The deadly collision happened near the Memorial Causeway in Clearwater, Florida. City of Clearwater Officials also released footage of the deadly wreck. A web camera set up in nearby Coachman Park picked up the water taxi traveling near the causeway at 8:43 p.m. The 40-foot ferry was putting along when the private 37-foot boat raced into frame. The stationary camera, overlooking a marina and the water, captured the moment of impact when the smaller boat landed on top of the ferry. 5 The ferry's roof was damaged in the incident. AP Ten passengers were left with injuries ranging from scrapes to broken bones and head wounds. '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,' Clearwater Ferry wrote on Facebook. The private boat, operated by Jeff Knight, immediately fled the scene, officials said. Knight was found hours later, nearly four miles from the wreck. He voluntarily submitted to a breathalyzer test, with police noting he had zero trace of alcohol in his system. 5 Officials and first responders stand on a beach near the crash site. No charges have been filed yet as officials are working with prosecutors to determine the cause and aftermath of the crash. 'We are currently working with the state attorney's office to make sure we fit whatever legal definitions for hit and run should or shouldn't be, based on the circumstances that persisted that evening,' Florida Fish and Wildlife officials said.
New York Post
29-04-2025
- New York Post
Florida man who fatally crashed speeding boat into ferry full of passengers and fled was sober during horrific accident: police
The man piloting a boat that fatally slammed into a Florida ferry over the weekend was not inebriated during the accident, officials said. Jeff Knight passed sobriety tests when he was detained Sunday after fleeing from the deadly wreck in Clearwater Sunday night, which left one ferry passenger dead and numerous injured in the waterway off Tampa Bay. He was reportedly cooperative and a breathalyzer test found no alcohol in his system, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission announced Monday. Advertisement 5 The man piloting a boat that fatally slammed into a Florida ferry over the weekend was not inebriated during the accident, officials said. AP Knight was allegedly driving a private boat carrying about six passengers when he slammed at a high speed into the back of the Clearwater Ferry, which was loaded with 45 passengers. The collision left the ferry's stern mangled and canopy shredded — then Knight allegedly sped away and left the ferry high and dry, the Tampa Bay Times reported. Advertisement At least 10 ferry passengers were injured — with two requiring airlifts — while Jose Castro, 41, was killed. 'Even before the first responders arrived on scene, we knew we were dealing with a major situation,' Clearwater Chief of Police Eric Gandy told reporters Monday, describing 'horrific screaming' that could be heard in the background of the emergency call. 5 Jeff Knight (not pictured) passed sobriety tests when he was detained Sunday after fleeing from the deadly wreck in Clearwater Sunday night. 5 Knight was allegedly driving a private boat carrying about six passengers when he slammed at a high speed into the back of the Clearwater Ferry, which was loaded with 45 passengers. AP Advertisement Knight's boat appeared to have 'overrode nearly three-quarters of the ferry,' Gandy added. The suspect was later found on his boat almost four miles away. The ferry came to a rest on a sandbar, where authorities rushed to evacuate the passengers. Their injuries ranged from broken bones to head injuries and other traumas. Among the passengers was Brenda Alvarez — 31 weeks pregnant — who was thrown from her seat and left covered in bruises. Advertisement 5 At least 10 ferry passengers were injured — with two requiring airlifts — and one person was killed. Javier Vazquez via REUTERS 5 The incident happened at the close of the Sugar Sand Festival, and the ferry was helping carry people back and forth from the festivities. 'It's very scary. I fell between two seats, and my whole body hurts right now,' she told ABC Action News, explaining that she checked herself into the hospital just to be safe. 'We can't understand how fast they were going, like how that was even logically possible that they hit and were able to get off like that,' she added. 'It shattered the whole back of the boat, left a huge dent.' The incident happened at the close of the Sugar Sand Festival, and the ferry was helping carry people back and forth from the festivities. Knight could face charges for leaving the scene of a crash, according to officials.
