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Boater caught speeding on Hillsborough River in ‘slow speed’ zone as boating safety reaches Florida lawmakers

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Updated  March 24, 2025 10:41pm EDT
Tampa
FOX 13 News

Boater cited for reckless driving

FOX 13’s Jennifer Kveglis reports on a boater who was cited for reckless boating and laws being debated in the Florida Legislature to curb similar incidents from happening.

The Brief

    • On Monday, the FWC cited a boater for reckless boating along the Hillsborough River.
    • The boater was recorded speeding in a "slow speed" zone near Curtis Hixon Park.
    • The reckless boating incident serves as a reminder of two proposed boat safety laws in talks this legislative session.

TAMPA, Fla. - A reckless rental boat operator was recorded speeding on the Hillsborough River in a "slow speed" zone. It happened on Friday near Curtis Hixon Park in Tampa. 

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) said a two-day investigation identified the operator, who received a reckless boating citation.

The boater was seen boating recklessly along the Hillsborough River. Courtesy: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

Dig deeper:

FWC says they worked closely with a local boat company, gathered multiple witness statements, and reviewed the video evidence of the boater before issuing the citation.

RELATED: Parents of teen killed in boating crash want stronger penalties for reckless boaters

Boater seen boating recklessly down Hillsborough River: FWC

The boater was seen boating recklessly along the Hillsborough River. Courtesy: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

After learning the boater’s identity, FWC says they interviewed them and gave the citation. The identity of the boater is unknown to FOX 13, as is the name of the boat company.

The backstory:

Two new bills being brought to this Florida legislative session are looking to curb incidents like this. 

READ: DeSantis says Florida returned $878M in taxpayer funds to federal government after meeting with Musk, DOGE

It's called "Lucy's Law" in memory of 17-year-old Lucy Fernandez, who lost her life in a reckless boating accident three years ago in South Florida. 

"Our greatest memories as a family, our greatest memories with Lucy, have been and are on the water," said Fernandez's dad, Andy. "So, we're very committed to this bill, and we're very committed to making the water a safer environment."

The boater was seen boating recklessly along the Hillsborough River. Courtesy: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

Lucy's parents have teamed up with Republican State House Representatives Vicki Lopez (Dist. 113) and Vanessa Oliver (Dist. 76) and Republican State Senator Jonathan Martin (Dist. 33) to sponsor the sister bills, HB 289 and SB 628. 

"Serious things can happen if someone is negligent, or isn't paying attention, or doesn't even really know how to operate the vehicle," Lopez said.

Why you should care:

Lucy's Law would align penalties for reckless boating offenses with dangerous driving offenses. 

Pictured: Lucy Fernandez.

"They need to be consistent with our successful traffic safety models. There needs to be clear penalties for reckless and careless behavior that results in death or serious bodily injury, and the BUI laws, boating under the influence, and associated penalties need to be the same as DUI laws," Fernandez said.

Current Florida law only requires boaters born after 1988 to take a boater education and safety course to obtain a boater safety card. 

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Scene of the boating accident in South Florida that killed Lucy Fernandez.

With Lucy's Law, anyone who's lived in the state for less than five years, regardless of age, would also be required to take the course.

Lucy's Law would also force anyone with one reckless boating criminal charge or two reckless boating citations in 12 months to take a boater education and safety course.

What's next:

HB 289 is listed as a Special Order item on the House legislative agenda this Wednesday. SB 628 has unanimously passed in the Criminal Justice and Transportation committees.

The FWC says they "remain committed to ensuring the safety of Florida’s waterways" and urge boaters "to follow the rules, respect wildlife and prioritize the safety of others on the water."

The Source: This story was written with information provided by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and reporting from FOX 13's Jennifer Kveglis.

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