On April 28, 2025, members of the Sarasota Police Department Marine Unit responded to a call of a boater in distress north of the Ringling Museum. Initial reports indicated that a boater had fallen overboard and that the vessel was circling unmanned at approximately 40 mph.
The Sarasota Police Marine Unit, with assistance from the United States Coast Guard, Coast Guard Auxiliary, Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office, Venice Police Department, and SeaTow, worked together to safely bring the situation under control. After several attempts to foul the vessel’s motor with tow lines were unsuccessful, SeaTow was able to deploy a plasma tow line, slightly slowing the vessel.
This reduction in speed allowed Officer Dixon to safely maneuver alongside the vessel, providing Lieutenant King the opportunity to board and bring the boat to a stop.
The vessel operator later told Marine Unit officers that he was returning the boat after the weekend’s Boat Show at Marina Jack when a larger vessel cut in front of him. As he attempted to navigate the wake, he was thrown from the boat. The operator, who sustained minor injuries, was not wearing a life jacket and was not utilizing the vessel’s emergency engine cut-off switch at the time of the incident.
Fortunately, no damage was reported to any law enforcement vessels or to the operator’s 26-foot Everglades vessel.
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