Tampa Boating Accident Lawsuits: Charges and Civil Claims

The Clearwater ferry crash lawsuits fall into two tracks: a criminal prosecution of powerboat operator Jeffry Knight, who faces 24 charges including eight felonies carrying up to 30 years each, and a growing set of civil claims filed by injured passengers against Knight, his boat-owning company, and Clearwater Ferry Services. Knight’s criminal trial is set for February 1, 2027. The civil cases are in their early stages, and more filings are expected.

What Happened on April 27, 2025

The Clearwater Ferry was carrying 45 passengers from downtown Clearwater toward the beach when Knight’s 37-foot powerboat struck it from behind near the Memorial Causeway Bridge.¹ Jose Castro, 41, of Palm Harbor, was killed. Six passengers were critically injured and four others suffered minor injuries.² Clearwater police classified the response as a level I mass casualty incident.³

Authorities say Knight’s boat left the scene and headed south toward his home before being stopped by the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office. The vessel was later located about 3.5 miles from the crash at the Belleair boat ramp.³ A breathalyzer administered at the scene showed a blood-alcohol level of 0.000, but Knight did not submit to a blood test for drugs.⁴ Investigators later found that the radar on his boat was not functioning at the time of the collision.⁵

The Criminal Charges Against Jeffry Knight

Knight, 63, was not arrested the night of the crash. He was taken into custody on July 28, 2025, at St. Pete/Clearwater International Airport after returning from the Bahamas, and posted $40,000 bail the same day.¹ He has pleaded not guilty to 24 total counts:⁶

Eight felony counts of leaving the scene of a boating accident involving death or serious bodily injury. Each count carries up to 30 years in prison. One count relates to Castro’s death; the other seven relate to passengers who required medical treatment beyond first aid.⁵
Eight misdemeanor counts of violating navigational rule 5, failure to maintain a proper lookout, resulting in a boating accident.⁶
Eight misdemeanor counts of violating navigational rule 6, failure to maintain a safe speed, resulting in a boating accident.⁶

A pretrial hearing is scheduled for July 24, 2026, and trial is set to begin February 1, 2027, after an earlier start date was pushed back.⁷

Knight’s Defense and the Prosecution’s Response

Knight’s attorney, J. Kevin Hayslett, says Knight stayed at the scene for more than 11 minutes, tied his boat to the ferry to push it toward shore, directed a passenger to call 911, and left only because his own vessel was taking on water.⁸ In a letter to investigators, Hayslett wrote that “the uncontested facts show that Mr. Knight acted in full compliance with Florida law, rendered meaningful assistance to the ferry and its passengers, was sober and cooperative throughout, and departed the scene only after rescue efforts were underway.”²

Law enforcement disputes that version. Authorities say a search warrant showed Knight’s boat had not actually taken on water.⁷ Prosecutors have also alleged, based on an electronic data search warrant, that Knight tried to prevent passengers from calling 911. The defense denies that allegation.⁸ The defense has also argued the ferry captain should have sounded a horn before the crash and has suggested the ferry may have been over capacity.

The Ferry Captain’s Separate Case

Ferry captain Dennis Kimerer, 65, was charged separately with a misdemeanor navigation-rule violation after investigators found the ferry’s stern light was not working at the time of the collision, which could have made it harder to see from behind at night.⁵ On May 27, 2026, the misdemeanor was reduced. Kimerer pleaded no contest to a noncriminal ordinance infraction and was fined $500 plus court costs.⁹ Through his attorney, Kimerer said he was “grateful this matter has been resolved and that the government is no longer alleging he caused the collision.”⁴

Civil Lawsuits Filed by Injured Passengers

At least two civil suits have been filed by passengers, and plaintiffs’ attorneys have signaled that more are expected.

Makelele v. Knight

The first suit was filed on behalf of Nicole Makelele, a Pinellas Park public school teacher who remained hospitalized with multiple broken bones and long-term injuries. Represented by attorney Michael Wyatt, the complaint alleges Knight committed five negligent acts: speeding, failing to maintain a lookout, operating without due regard, failing to take evasive action, and fleeing the scene. Knight is the sole named defendant. Several other passengers have retained the firm Morgan & Morgan, and additional filings are anticipated.¹⁰

Rexhepic and Buca v. Clearwater Ferry Services, Knight, and Mad Toyz III

On June 9, 2026, passengers Xhevahire Rexhepic and Kaudri Buca filed a civil complaint in the Sixth Judicial Circuit Court in Pinellas County.¹¹ The suit names three defendants: Clearwater Ferry Services LLC, Knight personally, and Mad Toyz III LLC, a company owned by Knight that holds title to the 37-foot boat.¹²

The complaint alleges Knight operated at excessive speed and failed to take evasive action, and alleges Clearwater Ferry Services breached its duty to operate the vessel safely.¹³ Mad Toyz III is named under a vicarious liability theory as the boat’s owner.¹⁴ The plaintiffs seek more than $50,000 in damages from each defendant, covering pain and suffering, medical expenses, lost earnings, and related harm, and have demanded a jury trial.¹¹

No wrongful death lawsuit on behalf of Jose Castro’s family has been publicly reported in the available record.

Knight’s Prior Boating-Related Suit

This is not the first boating death case involving Knight. In 2012, the family of 49-year-old James Young filed a wrongful death suit in Pinellas-Pasco Circuit Court after Young fell into the water while stepping from Knight’s yacht, the Pure Knight Life, onto a dock near the Vinoy in St. Petersburg. Young was pulled out by friends but pronounced dead at Bayfront Medical Center. The suit alleged the gangplank connecting the yacht to the dock was “inherently dangerous” because it lacked a two-sided railing. According to the Tampa Bay Times, Young’s blood-alcohol level was .239 and he had cocaine in his system.¹⁵ That case was dismissed.¹⁶

Where the Cases Stand

As of mid-2026, both tracks remain active. Knight’s criminal trial on eight felony leaving-the-scene counts, each carrying up to 30 years in prison, is scheduled for February 1, 2027, with a pretrial hearing on July 24, 2026.⁷¹⁷ The civil suits are in early stages and additional passenger claims are expected.¹⁰

1
Fox 13 News. Clearwater Ferry Crash: What Led to Jeffry Knight’s Arrest Months After Deadly Strike
2
MySunCoast. Boat Operator Involved in Clearwater Ferry Crash Arrested, Faces Multiple Charges
3
WFLA. Clearwater Police Release New Details in Deadly Ferry Hit-and-Run Crash
4
Tampa Bay Times. Clearwater Ferry Crash Captain Dennis Kimerer, Jeff Knight
5
Bay News 9. Officials Cite Change in Demeanor in Ferry Crash Arrest, Attorney Disputes Accusations
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WFLA. Jeff Knight Faces 24 Counts in Deadly Clearwater Ferry Crash, Pleads Not Guilty
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Spectrum News 1. Trial Start Pushed Back in Fatal Clearwater Ferry Case
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Fox 13 News. Jeff Knight Pleads Not Guilty in Deadly Clearwater Ferry Crash
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WFLA. Clearwater Ferry Captain Pleads to Lesser Offense in Deadly 2025 Crash
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Fox 13 News. Clearwater Ferry Crash: Injured Passenger Sues Jeffry Knight, Claims He Made Negligent Mistakes
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Yahoo News. Jeff Knight, Clearwater Ferry Company Sued by Passengers
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WFLA. Lawsuit Filed Against Jeffrey Knight, Clearwater Ferry in Deadly Ferry Crash
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Tampa Bay Times. Clearwater Ferry Crash Lawsuit, Jeff Knight Trial
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MySunCoast. Two Passengers File Lawsuit Over 2025 Clearwater Ferry Crash
15
Patch. Jannus Live Owner Sued for Wrongful Death
16
MySunCoast. Injured Clearwater Ferry Passenger Files Suit Against Jeff Knight
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Bay News 9. Ferry Captain in Clearwater Crash Pleads Guilty to Lesser Charge