Deputies: Largo man stole $1M yacht, got stuck, abandoned it

Booking image for Donnovan Russell Jester (Pinellas County Sheriff's Office)

A Florida man stole a million dollar yacht, then quickly abandoned it after accidentally ramming into some pilings, deputies said.

Donnovan Russell Jester, 28, was charged with grand theft of a vessel on Thursday. Pinellas County Sheriff’s deputies say Jester stole the 46-foot 2019 Jeanneau Leader with a value of $899,179 back in March.

According to an arrest report, he cruised off, but slammed into four channel-marker pilings and quickly abandoned the boat, leaving it to drift into an oyster bed.

Deputies found a thumbprint on the cabin door that matched Jester, arrest reports said.