Florida deputy leaps onto runaway boat to stop it after driver falls off, video shows

A bodycam video captured a Florida deputy leaping onto a runaway boat traveling more than 40 mph in order to stop it after its driver fell off. 

Footage taken on July 30 showed two deputies with the Pinellas County Sheriff Office’s Marine and Environmental Lands Unit responding to a call to assist the U.S. Coast Guard. 

“The Coast Guard attempted to deploy prop fowling devices to stop the vessel but they were unsuccessful,” the sheriff’s office said. “Deputy Constant intercepted the runaway vessel by matching its speed (about 41 mph) inside the curve allowing Deputy Fernandes to leap aboard and take control of the vessel.” 

“And yes Deputy Fernandes does his own stunts,” the sheriff’s office added. 

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Police say the driver of the boat had “fallen off and was rescued by a good Samaritan.” 

Video released by the Pinellas County Sheriff Office began with one of its boats racing alongside the empty boat, where nobody was seen behind its controls. 

“You got it, I don’t care about getting wet, you got it,” Deputy Fernandes said. 

He then jumped onto the runaway boat and brought it to a stop. 

The deputy and the Coast Guard were later seen working to untangle a line that got wrapped up in the boat’s propeller. 

“Is anything caught up in there?” a Coast Guard member is heard asking him. 

“I think I just did, I didn’t even know there was a line back there. Oh yeah I just wrapped ‘em up good,” he responded. 

“Oh, that’s what we needed like 45 minutes ago,” another Coast Guard member said, drawing laughs from the deputy and his colleagues. 

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The deputy behind the police boat that approached the vessel told Fernandes he did a “good job.” 

“Yeah, you too, good driving,” he responded. 

“That was pretty bad a–,” a Coast Guard member said. 

In early July, in nearby Sarasota, the Coast Guard rescued seven people from a capsized catamaran boat. 

In a tweet, the Coast Guard said the rescues were made with the assistance of partner agencies and good Samaritans. 

 

That incident happened during boat races in the area. 

Fox News’ Adam Sabes contributed to this report.