The person piloting a ship that fatally slammed right into a Florida ferry over the weekend was not inebriated throughout the accident, officers mentioned.
Jeff Knight handed sobriety assessments when he was detained Sunday after fleeing from the lethal wreck in Clearwater Sunday night time, which left one ferry passenger lifeless and quite a few injured within the waterway off Tampa Bay.
He was reportedly cooperative and a breathalyzer take a look at discovered no alcohol in his system, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Fee introduced Monday.
Knight was allegedly driving a personal boat carrying about six passengers when he slammed at a excessive pace into the again of the Clearwater Ferry, which was loaded with 45 passengers.
The collision left the ferry’s stern mangled and cover shredded — then Knight allegedly sped away and left the ferry excessive and dry, the Tampa Bay Instances reported.
Not less than 10 ferry passengers had been injured — with two requiring airlifts — whereas 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 advised reporters Monday, describing “horrific screaming” that may very well be heard within the background of the emergency name.
Knight’s boat appeared to have “overrode nearly three-quarters of the ferry,” Gandy added. The suspect was later discovered on his boat nearly 4 miles away.
The ferry got here to a relaxation on a sandbar, the place authorities rushed to evacuate the passengers.
Their accidents ranged from damaged bones to move accidents and different traumas.
Among the many passengers was Brenda Alvarez — 31 weeks pregnant — who was thrown from her seat and left coated in bruises.
“It’s very scary. I fell between two seats, and my whole body hurts right now,” she advised ABC Motion Information, explaining that she checked herself into the hospital simply to be protected.
“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 occurred on the shut of the Sugar Sand Competition, and the ferry was serving to carry folks backwards and forwards from the festivities.
Knight might face fees for leaving the scene of a crash, based on officers.
