Boat passengers: Clearwater Ferry had no stern lights

In a preemptive strike, the attorney for Clearwater boat owner Jeffry Knight has sent a second letter to the chief investigator of the April 27 collision between Knight’s vessel and the Clearwater Ferry. A passenger aboard the ferry died at the scene.

In a letter dated May 1, J. Kevin Hayslett tells Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission investigator Richard Schefano that Knight, at the wheel of his 37-foot, tri-engine pleasure craft, remained at the scene in accordance with Florida Statute 327.30(5), which compels the operator of a vessel involved in a collision to stay and render aid.

This is consistent with Hayslett’s initial letter to Shefano, dated April 29.

No charges have been filed in the incident.

In the May 1 letter, Hayslett includes what he says are handwritten, notarized statements from several passengers on Knight’s boat.

“I asked Jeff what to do, and he said to call 911,” Kathryn Talbert wrote. “One of the other girls on the boat called while I went back to check on my friends. Everyone was yelling to go back to the boat to be sure people were not in the water and there was a big ship there that was also helping. We pulled up to the boat and I was asking if anyone on board needed to get to shore or if there was any way we could help. . . . I asked the passengers closest to us when we tied on to their boat if anyone needed to be rushed to shore. They said two people were pretty hurt but no one got aboard when we offered. . . . Next thing I know we saw the cops and EMT arriving on shore.”

One of Knight’s passengers was on board with an 8-week-old infant.

“I went to look at what happened and realized we hit another vessel …,” wrote Alexis Ringel. “It was really dark and Jeff was yelling, “They had no lights, where the f*** were their lights!”

“Katie asked Jeff, “What do you want us to do?” He said call the cops. Katie was busy checking in on all of us and the baby . . . so I called them (911) on my phone. The call lasted 11 minutes. I answered questions about where we were and if anyone was hurt. While on the phone we went to the other boat and Jeff tied his boat to theirs.

“I saw EMTs and police pulling up to the vessel and Jeff untied the boat from ours. . . . After I hung up, Jeff said we were taking on water, and needed to get back home. Blair (was) still hysterical while holding (the baby).”

Video from a stationary camera at a nearby park shows Knight’s boat remaining in the area for approximately eight minutes, then leaving the scene. Police caught up with it at a boat ramp three miles to the south.

According to the Hayslett letter, Ringel’s 911 call lasted the entire 11 minutes.

A statement from Danielle Ely, a third passenger, is quoted: “I heard Jeff screaming “What the f***, where were their lights, I didn’t see them.” He reversed the boat, Blair came to the rear of the boat and sat on the ground with the baby and I was consoling her. I heard Katie ask “Jeff what can I do?” Jeff responded and told her to call 911.” Alexis called 911 and Jeff pulled his boat up to the ferry to tie them to his boat (so officials could access the boat. He put them in about 3ft of water near the shore).”

The attorney concluded by saying the 40-foot ferry, with approximately 45 persons on board, was operating without stern lights when Knight’s boat approached it from the rear.

“From the sworn witness statements already in your possession, as well as from the video evidence, there is consistent and credible evidence that no stern light was visible at the time of the incident,” Hayslett wrote.

“… Our lighting and reconstruction experts will seek to evaluate the exact position, mounting hardware, angle, and arc of visibility of the stern light (if any), as well as whether it was moved forward, installed incorrectly, or modified in violation of U.S. Coast Guard standards. Our intent is to determine whether the ferry’s lighting complied not just generally, but with millimeter-level precision, as required for commercial vessels operating with passengers aboard.”

Investigators have no issued any public statements.

Knight was given a Breathalyzer test at the boat ramp. The presence of alcohol was not detected.

Jose “Pepe” Castro, 42, was killed in the collision. His funeral is Saturday in Clearwater.

A GoFundMe page opened by his family has so far brought in more than $37,0000.

The boat owned by Jeffry Knight of Clearwater is removed from the scene by investigators April 27. Screengrab.

Additional Catalyst coverage:

More questions than answers in deadly ferry collision

Victim, boat operator’s names released in fatal Clearwater accident

Jeffry Knight, Jannus Live sever ties