CLEARWATER, Fla. (WFLA) — A lawsuit has been filed by a family of six against Jeff Knight. The incident in question occurred in April when Knight’s boat collided with the Clearwater Ferry, with the family aboard.
One person died and 10 others were injured. Knight is not facing any criminal charges.
Stephen Barnes is representing the families in the lawsuit. He gave an update on their health.
“It’s been a traumatic experience for them, as you can imagine, especially with so many family members involved. But they’re, you know, seeing doctors, they’re going through the rehabilitation process and seem to be moving in the right direction,” Barnes said.
The lawsuit also names Mad Toys III LLC, alleging that the company negligently allowed Knight, deemed an unfit captain, to operate the vessel, which was a contributing or sole cause of the accident.
“We certainly intend to begin to take some depositions to understand better what is going on with Mad Toys and how in the world Mr. Knight ever was permitted to operate the vessel that night,” Barnes said.
News Channel 8 On Your Side went to an address listed for Mad Toys III, and according to SunBiz, the registered agent for the company is Sean Knight. Sean is named in the lawsuit as Jeff Knight’s son. News Channel 8 was told the building rents out office space and that Sean wasn’t there.
The lawsuit lists what attorneys call “decades of history” of dangerous behavior by Jeff Knight while operating cars and boats.
It said, in 2004, Knight caused his car to leave the roadway resulting in a serious accident. In 2012, the lawsuit said a passenger on Knights boat fell overboard and drowned. In 2017, the lawsuit mentions how Knight was charged and convicted of careless operation of a vessel for letting a person under the age of 14 operate it. Then, in 2019, the lawsuit said Knight operated a motorboat and collided with a pontoon boat, injuring three people. Attorneys also mention his three separate convictions as a result of charges of operating a motor vehicle while impaired.
The suit makes point of Knights history, saying those incidents were known to Mad Toys III LLC and that Jeff Knight remained the active operator of the company even though Sean Knight was listed as the member filing the company’s annual reports.
“I think the lesson is people should not get multiple bites of the apple, multiple opportunities to continue to hurt people and kill people operating these dangerous instrumentals,” Barnes said. “You do not put that vessel in the control of somebody who has proven time and time again over a long period of time that they are not capable or competent to operate those pieces of machinery. “
News Channel 8 reached out to Knights attorneys for a comment and are waiting for a response.
Barnes said relief for his clients looks like recovery and that they have faith in the system.
This is the second lawsuit filed against Jeff Knight for the ferry crash. Another passenger filed a suit in May.
