Clearwater Ferry captain gets charge reduced after deadly crash

The former Clearwater Ferry captain who faced a misdemeanor charge after a fatal crash last April pleaded guilty Wednesday and will have his charge reduced to a civil infraction.Dennis Kimerer, 65, was charged with violation of a navigational rule resulting in a boating accident because the ferry’s stern light was out when Jeff Knight crashed his boat into the ferry on April 27, 2025. One person was killed and nearly a dozen others were hurt in the crash. Knight maintained that he couldn’t see the ferry’s lights. A city camera at Coachman Park captured the crash at 8:40 p.m. that day. About 10 minutes later, Knight was seen motoring his 37-foot center console boat away from the scene. Pinellas deputies later intercepted Knight and towed him back to the Belleair boat ramp. A voluntary breath sample showed no alcohol in his system , but he did not take a blood test to determine if he had taken drugs. Knight is charged with eight felony counts of leaving the scene of a boating accident involving injury. He also faces 16 misdemeanor charges of violating navigational rules. His trial is set for February 2027.On Wednesday, Kimerer’s attorney, Kym B. Rivellini, said she and the state have been “working really hard to come up with a resolution.” She told the court it was in Kimerer’s “best interest” to plead guilty.Kimerer, who has appeared in court for all of his previous hearings, was stuck in Tennessee due to severe weather, Rivellini said. She read a statement on his behalf.“Captain Kimerer is grateful this matter has been resolved and that the government is no longer alleging he caused the collision, which is appropriate given the facts,” the statement reads. “He continues to keep the families affected by this tragedy in his prayers and recognizes the profound impact this loss has had on so many.”Kimerer “remains committed to advancing boating safety, education, and awareness measures to help protect everyone on the water.”The reduction means Kimerer’s case “does not constitute reckless operation of a vessel” under Florida law . In addition to his charge being reduced, Kimerer will pay a $500 fine.It is not yet clear how Kimerer’s case will affect Knight’s defense strategy. Rivellini told the Tampa Bay Times it is rare for a misdemeanor case to go on for as long as Kimerer’s did, and Knight’s case will boil down to what caused the crash.Knight’s lawyer, J. Kevin Hayslett, previously suggested that a key part of his defense would be casting blame on the ferry light being out. Hayslett sent a letter to investigators after the crash alleging that the ferry was not properly lit and that the crew and passengers were distracted by dolphins just before the crash. Reached by phone Wednesday, Hayslett declined to comment. Times staff writer Jack Prator contributed to this report.