The examination of Clearwater Ferry Crash continues because the demands for justice become louder

Clearwater, Florida – Sunday marked a week since the tragic crash of Clearwater Ferry took the life of Jose Castro and seriously injured 10 other people.

Sacrifice that was killed in the boat collision near the memorial Causeway Bridge was identified

When Castro's family put him down at the weekend, the demands for justice become louder. At that time, Jefry Knight, who operated the boat, which collapsed into the ferry with 44 passengers, did not submit any charges.

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“We cannot allow this to be unnoticed. We cannot allow his life to be so gone at a moment. We need justice for him, we need justice for these girls he leaves behind,” said Angie Todd, Castro's niece on Saturday at his funeral.

The ABC Action News I team spoke to a retired Marine officer of the Tampa Police Department of why it can take some time for an examination to be completed and the public prosecutor determines whether charges should submit.

Jefry Knight was quoted in 2019 for “careless operation”, in which the same boat was involved in Clearwater Ferry crashed

Randy Lopez, who examined hundreds of boat accidents during his 33-year career and now has Blue Line Boots, a charter boat and boat security training business, and told the I-Team that the examination could take 30-45 days.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) leads the investigation, which Lopez said, it is best to consider himself the investigators of third parties who are specially assigned to the incident.

Lopez told the I-Team that they never want to hurry up if there is a fees and the risk of someone “a technical”.

“They meticulously go through the evidence,” said Lopez.

And in this special case there is a lot of evidence of the review.

“You will take a look at every possible thing, and what you will do is to draw your best conclusion based on facts and science,” said Lopez.

The retired officer told the I-Team, in contrast to some cases in this case you already know who is involved. You have people. That has the evidence.

You also have a shot to do it right.

“They want the truth. They want the facts examined. They want the evidence to be examined,” said Lopez.

In a press conference at the beginning of this week, the captain of FWC, Matthew Dallarosa, said that the investigation of boat accidents distinguishes from vehicle accidents.

“You are dealing with a dynamic environment, tides and wind change everything that is not exactly in the same place, and it only takes a long process to work through all the way,” he said.

Dallarosa said the FWC was working closely with the Pinellas County public prosecutor to determine the legal definition of a hit.

“There are indications that the ship stayed there for a certain period of time, and then ended up on the Bellair boat ramp, separated from the scene of the accident,” said Dallarosa.

He further explained that they are working on creating a timeline.

“You can see who made calls, which telephone calls to which and which again and again are the complexity of an event of this size, and if it is boats like this, we try again that we have to do with a late night and many people,” said Dallarosa.

The lawyers informed ABC Action News that this person, if someone leaves a fatal boots crash scene, was exposed to up to 30 years without providing help.

“We work through what these charges may be, and in full the law we will pursue every crime discovered,” said Dallarosa and noticed her work with the public prosecutor.

Knight's lawyer sent a letter in which he requested that evidence were preserved, said that his client's actions agreed with the law of Florida and that allegations of leaving the scene were not supported.

Writing Clearwater Ferry Incident Representation by Mr. Jeffrey Knightby ABC Action News

The Clearwater ferry used its service at the weekend and said: “Our hearts are victims and families affected, and we repeat our deep gratitude for the first aiders, our crew and other boaters who helped during this tragic event.”

The service is expected to be resumed on Thursday.