Boater Jeffrey Knight who caused Deadly Florida Ferry Crash April 27

[Beringia]

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Last edited Fri May 2, 2025, 12:39 PM - Edit history (1)

Source: Patch Clearwater Florida

Ferry crash happened on Sunday, April 27.

On Tuesday, April 29, Jeffrey Knight’s attorney denied that the businessman fled the scene of the crash, according to multiple reports.

In a letter to investigators, the attorney addressed what he called “misinformation” about the crash and pushed back on reports that the 62-year-old left quickly after the crash.

"Immediately after the accident, Mr. Knight directed a passenger on his vessel to call 911, and that passenger remained on the line with 911 for 12 minutes… Mr. Knight tied his vessel to the ferry in order to stabilize it and render aid. He used his boat to maneuver the ferry closer to shore so that first responders would have easier access to the passengers,” the letter reads, according to Fox 13.

The family of the man killed in the ferry crash, Jose Castro, 41, a U.S. postal worker from Palm Harbor, is demanding justice following the fatal incident. They say they don’t understand why Knight hasn’t been arrested.

“I want this guy to pay for what he did, for what we’re going through right now,” Castro’s sister, Sandy Todd, told the Tampa Bay Times. “My family is destroyed.”

The devastated mother of the passenger killed in the ferry crash in Clearwater, Florida, is demanding justice for her son — as no one involved has been charged in the horrible collision.
José Castro, a 41-year-old father of two from Pinellas County, was killed when a private boat smashed into the back of the water taxi he was on Sunday night, with 10 others also injured.
His mother, Carmen Ulloa, immediately flew to Tampa from her home in Peru when she heard the devastating news.
“Let there be justice,” she said.
“There must be justice in this country … My son’s death cannot go unpunished.”



Video shows moment of impact after boat crashes into Florida ferry

Read more: https://patch.com/florida/clearwater/boater-s-attorney-denies-he-fled-scene-fatal-clearwater-ferry-crash

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Reading more about this story, it seems the captain of the boat who crashed into the Ferry may not be charged because of the lights on the Ferry being so dim. The mother of the man who died, Jose Castro, flew from Peru over this

[stopdiggin]

1. gee. does this mean that (some at least) of the 'Facebook reporting'

might not have been totally accurate?

[UpInArms]

2. More from your link

“We're doing an activity with the kids and all the people,” Andrew Triglio, first mate for Captain Memo’s Pirate Cruise, told WTSP. “Then we noticed the boat to the side of us drifting with the roof all messed up, and they were screaming to help us, and then we jumped into action from there.”

“Mayday, mayday, mayday! There’s been a boat collision. The Clearwater ferry, underneath the Clearwater Memorial Causeway. The Clearwater ferry is adrift,” according to mayday transmission audio made after the crash released by the Coast Guard, WFLA said.

Triglio also said he saw the boat that hit the ferry lingering for a few minutes after the crash and he initially thought they were also Good Samaritans helping the victims — until it abruptly left the scene.

“We thought it was a passenger helping them, like another boat, because we didn't see who hit them,” he said. “It may have been that boat, and then knocked [the ferry] into the sandbar, and they took off.”

Bolding mine

[groundloop]

3. "lingering for a few minutes...... until it abruptly left the scene"

That pretty much sums it up, he got the hell out of dodge before the water cops arrived.

[FredGarvin]

4. The dude fled the scene after talking to his lawyer

A monied man.

10:1 he will get off all charges.

We all know how this goes

[Beringia]

6. OMG, you are right, he is rich

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14660289/millionaire-skipper-clearwater-ferry-crash-jeffry-knight.html

Sordid history of millionaire skipper Jeff Knight at the helm in fatal Clearwater ferry crash

By GREG WOODFIELD IN CLEARWATER, FLORIDA, FOR DAILYMAIL.COM

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.

[Miguelito Loveless]

5. Always remember something when reading these accounts

For the rich, there is rarely a downside to lying, no matter how big the lie.

[taxi]

7. How odd that the owner, Knight, says he directed a passenger on his boat to call 911

but when we are told of Knight's apprehension a short time later it is only Knight seen being taken from his boat, and references are made only to Knight.
Not that there's anything to read between the lines here.

[Omaha Steve]

8. AFTER a review by forum hosts LOCKING

WAY over 12 hours old when posted in LBN.

Posted Wed, Apr 30, 2025 at 10:40 am ET
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Updated Wed, Apr 30, 2025 at 2:46 pm ET

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