CLEARWATER, Fla. – One man is dead, and 10 others were injured after a 37-foot boat, operated by Jeffry Knight, the owner of Jannus Live, crashed into the back of the Clearwater Ferry.
The other side:
In a letter sent to investigators and obtained by FOX 13 on Tuesday, Knight’s attorney aimed to address what he described as “misinformation” surrounding the incident, particularly claims that Knight fled the scene.
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The letter reads, in part: “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 goes on to say Knight “told the captain of the ferry boat he was able to transport injured individuals by water to Morton Plant Hospital … this offer was declined.”
The attorney said Knight only departed when emergency responders arrived, and his boat began taking on too much water. Additionally, the letter notes that Knight voluntarily submitted to a breath-alcohol test, which returned a result of 0.00 — confirming what the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) had previously disclosed.
Notably, Knight is the owner of the Jannus Live concert venue in St. Petersburg. The venue shared a public message on Instagram offering condolences to the victims and their families, and called for “compassion and patience as the facts surrounding this heartbreaking incident continue to emerge.”
What’s next:
Authorities said the investigation, being conducted jointly by the FWC and the U.S. Coast Guard, is expected to take time due to the complex nature of maritime accidents.
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“Vessel accident investigation is very different than vehicle accident investigation,” said an FWC official. “You’re dealing with a dynamic environment — tides and wind shift. Things don’t tend to sit in exactly the same place. It just takes a long process to work all the way through that.”
The investigation into the Clearwater Ferry crash remains ongoing.
The Source: The information in this story includes statements made by Jeffry Knight’s attorney in a letter to investigators as well as a statement released by Jannus Live. It also includes previous information from investigators.
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