Video: Florida Officer Jumps on Runaway Boat in Movie-Like Display: 'Deputy Fernandes Does His Own Stunts' After other attempts to rescue the boat failed, officers took matters into their own hands.
By Erin Davis
After a driver fell off a boat in Florida, the boat kept going. And fast.
Boat speeds topped 41 mph before Pinellas Country Sheriff Deputy Fernandes with the Marine and Environmental Lands Unit jumped from a police boat onto the runaway vessel.
The Pinellas Country Sheriff's Office posted the video on social media: "Yesterday, July 30th, Deputy Fernandes and Deputy Constant with the Marine and Environmental Lands Unit responded to a call to assist the United States Coast Guard with a runaway vessel. The driver had fallen off and was rescued by a Good Samaritan. The Coast Guard attempted to deploy prop fowling devices to stop the vessel but they were unsuccessful. 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."
One commenter, Bill, who says he is a member of the Baltimore PD, reminded viewers that Deputy Fernandes did the feat wearing a full, heavy police uniform.
"Don't forget…he did this feat wearing: A full uniform, including boots; A bullet resistant vest (10 lbs); Full duty belt (20-30lbs); A flotation device (5lbs placed in a cumbersome location around your neck); Oh yeah, going 40 mph over waters that bull sharks call home, over TWO unstable platforms."
The condition of the boat driver or why they went overboard is currently unknown.
The sheriff's office noted that the Coast Guard tried stopping the boat by "deploying propeller fouling devices," but it didn't work, per People.
"Always connect your kill switch lanyard," the sheriff's office wrote.
Pinella Country is a 280-square-mile peninsula on the West Coast of Florida bordered by the Gulf of Mexico and Tampa Bay.
