Jannus Live Owner Steps Down After Deadly Clearwater Ferry Boat Crash

Leadership Change at Jannus Live

• 📌 Jeffry Knight, owner of Jannus Live, is stepping down from his position following a fatal boating crash.
• 💡 The announcement was made via Jannus Live's social media, stating the decision is out of respect for the victims and to prevent the case from detracting from the venue's work.
• 🗓️ Knight is stepping down immediately from his role with the St. Petersburg concert venue.

The Deadly Clearwater Ferry Crash

• 💥 On Sunday night, Knight's recreational boat collided with the Clearwater Ferry, resulting in one fatality and ten injuries.
• 💔 The deceased has been identified as 41-year-old José Castro.
• 🚤 The FWC (Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission) is investigating the incident, which occurred near the Clearwater Memorial Causeway.

Previous Boating Incident and Legal Action

• ⚠️ Court records indicate Knight was involved in a previous boating crash in 2019 near the Dick Meisner Bridge in St. Pete.
• ⚖️ In that incident, Knight's vessel crashed into a pontoon boat, and court records claim he admitted to looking down prior to the collision.
• 🤝 The 2019 lawsuit, which involved allegations of Knight crashing into a pontoon boat, concluded in a confidential settlement.

Knight's Attorney's Statement and Investigation Details

• 📞 Knight's attorney stated that Knight acted lawfully after the crash, directing a passenger to call 911 and remaining on the line for nearly 12 minutes.
• ⚠️ The attorney also raised concerns about the ferry possibly not displaying required navigational lights.
• 🚫 Knight voluntarily took a breathalyzer at the scene, which registered zero, and no arrests have been made at this time.
• 🔍 The FWC is seeking video footage from the area around the time of the crash and asks anyone with information to contact them.