Attorney for boater involved in Clearwater ferry crash explains client’s side of events

CLEARWATER, Fla. (WFLA) — An attorney for the boat operator who crashed into the Clearwater Ferry Sunday released a letter Tuesday explaining his client's side of the events after the collision. In a letter addressed to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Attorney J. Kevin Hayslett asserted that his client, Jeffry Knight, was in compliance with Florida law during the chaos that killed a man and seriously injured 10 other people. According to Hayslett, Knight did not leave the scene immediately after the crash. At first, Knight tried to help the victims, directing a passenger on his boat to call 911 to get help. The passenger stayed on the line with 911 for 12 minutes, the attorney's letter stated. "During this time, the caller relayed updates and emergency directions, such as telling Mr. Knight to instruct all the ferry passengers to immediately put on a life jacket," Hayslett wrote. "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." Knight's attorney said Knight told the ferry captain that he could take some of the injured to Morton Plant Hospital by water, but his offer was declined. Knight remained on the scene until he noticed that his boat was taking on "a large amount of water" and left out of the fear that his vessel was about to sink with an 8-week-old infant on board, the letter stated. "Several witnesses aboard Mr. Knight’s vessel indicated that the frantic mother of an infant on board pleaded for immediate transport following the crash because she was concerned that her 8-week-old child may have suffered injuries," Hayslett wrote. "However, given the circumstances, including vessel draft, water depth, and the compromised condition of Mr. Knight’s boat, he prudently determined that returning to dock as quickly as possible was the best course of action." According to the attorney, Knight left after Clearwater police were in the water and ambulances arrived. First responders also stopped the captain's boat to inspect it and tow it to the Bellair Boat Ramp, where first responders assessed the baby's condition. Mentioning a video of the collision, Hayslett wrote that "you can clearly see that Mr. Knight was still on scene after the police arrived and the EMS vehicles had arrived." Knight's attorney pointed out that two crew members of a nearby "pirate ship" independently corroborated his account, saying they saw him assist the ferry victims until first responders arrived. Hayslett also pointed out that Knight was not impaired at the time of the crash, voluntarily submitting a breath-alcohol test. The FWC also confirmed that Knight had no alcohol in his system. “The captain voluntarily submitted to a breathalyzer and there was no alcohol determined in that breathalyzer sample, it read zero, zero, zero based on the certified breath test that was given to the intoxilyzer,” said Matthew Dallarosa with the FWC. Hayslett's letter also mentioned that there was "credible concern" that the ferry did not have "the required the required navigational lights at the time of the accident, particularly a stern light visible for a distance of two miles." "Multiple witnesses have reported that the ferry appeared inadequately illuminated, and that in the moments before the collision, the captain and many passengers were distracted by dolphins in the area, diminishing navigational awareness," Hayslett wrote. "It appears that just prior to the accident, someone on the ferry was shining a spotlight in the channel, which would confirm reports that they were looking at dolphins." The attorney also said lighting experts who analyzed the crash video believed it may have "artificially brightened" by nighttime enhancement filters, which would create the impression that there was more visibility than there really was. "We respectfully request access to unedited, raw footage in order to accurately assess lighting conditions at the time of the incident," Hayslett wrote. Hayslett also requested GPS and navigational data from both vessels, AIS tracking data for all nearby vessels, 911 calls, and other evidence be preserved for a "complete and fair investigation." The letter concluded with the following excerpt: Knight has not been criminally charged in the crash as of this report. The FWC has taken control of the investigation, and any potential charges will be determined by the State Attorney's Office.