Jeff Knight pleads not guilty in deadly Clearwater Ferry crash

CLEARWATER, Fla. - The Pinellas County businessman who is accused of crashing into the Clearwater Ferry in April, killing one person and injuring several others, has officially pleaded not guilty. 

By the numbers:

Jeffry Knight is facing 24 charges, including eight counts of felony leaving the scene of a boating accident involving death and serious bodily injury and 16 counts of violating different navigational rules for the crash on April 27, 2025. 

Dennis Kimerer, the captain of the Clearwater Ferry, was also charged with violating a navigation rule for failing to have a working stern light at the time of the crash.  

The backstory:

On April 27, 2025, the Clearwater Ferry was carrying 45 passengers around 8:30 p.m. near the Memorial Causeway when law enforcement officers say Knight slammed into it with his boat. 

The impact of the crash caused multiple injuries as well as the death of Jose Castro, according to FWC.

Multiple agencies responded in the aftermath of the crash, including FWC, the Clearwater Police Department, Clearwater Fire Department, Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office and the United States Coast Guard.

PREVIOUS: Clearwater Ferry crash victim sues Jeffry Knight after deadly collision

Dig deeper:

During their months-long investigation, FWC officials said Knight left the scene of the crash and headed south toward his home. That's when investigators said the PCSO stopped him in the water.

At the time of the crash, Knight told investigators he at first stayed at the scene to render aid to ferry passengers. He said his boat began to take on water, so he left, and that’s why his boat was at the Belleair Boat Ramp.

In an electronic data search warrant issued by the FWC, it was revealed that passengers on Knight's boat told investigators after the crash, Knight was panicked and told them, "My life is over. I'm going to lose everything," and tried to stop them from calling 911. The warrant also alleges Knight's all-around white light was not displayed on his boat.

FWC officers investigated the case, which included reviewing surveillance video, analyzing physical evidence and interviewing numerous witnesses. The Coast Guard also investigated the Clearwater Ferry's involvement in the crash.

The other side:

Knight's legal team released the following statement last week after his arrest: 

"Jeffrey Knight remains deeply saddened by the events of April 27, 2025, and extends his prayers to all those affected. This tragic incident deserves careful attention, not rushed judgment — and certainly not public mischaracterization.

Yet from the very beginning, that’s exactly what happened.

‘The claim that Jeff Knight immediately sped from the scene is false — and it’s time to correct the record,’ said Knight’s attorney, J. Kevin Hayslett.

That allegation — first issued publicly by the Clearwater Police Department and quickly echoed by media outlets, public officials, and social media commentators — suggested that Knight fled responsibility. In truth, Knight remained on scene for over 11 minutes, tied his vessel to the ferry, pushed it toward land to assist first responders, and instructed his passenger to call 911, which resulted in a nine-minute recorded emergency call.

‘He didn’t flee — he stayed, he helped, and he made the call. But that didn’t fit the early narrative,’ Hayslett added.

Even more troubling, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission (FWC) has filed eight felony chargesagainst Knight — not for eight distinct criminal acts, but for a single alleged offense repeated for each person on board the ferry who claims injury.

‘Let’s be clear: these aren’t eight separate incidents — it’s one allegation copied eight times. It may sound dramatic, but it’s not eight different acts. It’s the same charge applied to each passenger,’ Hayslett explained.

And remarkably, those charges are not based on physical evidence or objective facts, but largely on Knight’s demeanor after the collision.

‘When a law enforcement agency charges someone based on how they looked — not what they did — that’s not justice. That’s opinion masquerading as law,’ Hayslett said.

Meanwhile, in a development that finally confirms what Knight’s team has stated from the outset, the ferry boat captain has now been charged for failing to maintain a required stern light — a basic and critical safety device under both Coast Guard and maritime law.

‘It’s ironic — and frankly outrageous — that Knight was vilified while the ferry was operating in complete violation of federal safety standards,’ Hayslett said.

‘This is the maritime equivalent of a school bus driving at night with no tail lights — and blaming the driver who couldn’t see it.’

As a common carrier, the Clearwater Ferry is legally bound to the highest standard of care. That includes:

• Coast Guard inspections
• Working navigational lighting (including stern lights)
• Use of sound signals to avoid collision
• Proper lookout and staffing
• Timely post-incident drug and alcohol screening

‘Knight is being charged for staying calm. The ferry captain is being charged for making his boat invisible,' Hayslett said.

Knight’s conduct on April 27 and since has been consistent, responsible, and cooperative:

• He remained on scene
• Tied up to the ferry
• Pushed the vessel toward land
• Directed a 911 call lasting over 9 minutes
• Voluntarily submitted to a breath test — result: 0.000
• Surrendered his vessel for inspection
• Returned from out of state voluntarily
• Surrendered his passport

‘If law enforcement had even a shred of evidence Jeff was impaired, they could have — and would have — compelled testing. They didn’t. Because there wasn’t any,’ said Hayslett.

Meanwhile, the Clearwater Ferry, partially funded by taxpayers through the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA), has escaped meaningful scrutiny for its own operational failures.

‘When an insurance company writes a million-dollar check, they’re not doing it out of generosity — they’re admitting fault,’ Hayslett noted.

This case isn’t about social media narratives or political soundbites. It’s about the facts — and what the evidence really shows.

‘We look forward to presenting that evidence to an impartial jury of Mr. Knight’s peers — and finally setting the record straight,’ Hayslett concluded."

The family spokesperson and son-in-law of Captain Kimerer also released the following statement: 

"The charge against Captain Dennis Kimerer—who sustained life-threatening injuries in this tragic incident—is without merit. The evidence makes clear that Mr. Knight was operating his vessel at an unsafe and reckless speed. He then fled the scene of the collision—conduct that speaks volumes about where the fault lies. 

As any experienced boater or motorist understands, equipment malfunctions can occur in transit. A single light failure does not absolve another operator of the responsibility to navigate safely, maintain situational awareness, and adjust speed accordingly. The obligation to operate at a safe speed exists precisely to allow for the unexpected—something Mr. Knight negligently ignored. Additionally, public statements indicate other boaters in the vicinity could see the ferry despite the equipment failure."