Angler charged after pulling up diver

[diveprof]

I cannot believe that I'm about to say this - but this may be the one case that I wish a personal injury litigation lawyer would get involved

 

[DennisW]

He would not have been able to pull me up because I won't attach the flag to me, but if he had, we would both have ended up in the water.

 

[fisheyeview]

I agree. Probably won't be able to get attempted manslaughter or reckless endangerment but sue him and take his fishing license away. I have friends who spearfish and have been on sites first before with a dive flag on the boat and they had fisherman drop thier lines on them. Could she have cut the line to prevent the rapid assault ascent? This is kind of stuff that really pisses me off with some fisherman, just go to another spot. I'm glad she turned out ok and didn't get hurt.

I have had fishermen at the Blue Heron Bridge try to snag me before. Have had my flag snagged before there. I just tie it off to something and let them wear themselves out.

I have seen FWC pull a diver up by the flag and issue them a ticked for swimming into the boat channel.

 

[Magnolia3]

Amen. The best retaliation is the monetary kind. That will get his attention.

Aw heck..down in the keys... its pretty easy to make is fishing life miserable...
local water cops have a vast rep amoung sailors for being johnny on the spot to check out ppl... he has to have a fishing license.. and a specific license for specific fish...everytime he goes out..
Next the locals/FWC/USCG can do a safety check... every time they see him..
I have seen it done to boaters who a pia to the marine patrol. It will make his life miserable and let him know they know WHO he is and that they are watching.
I am willing to bet he has done this kind of thing more often than not and these two incidents are the tip of his pyschotic iceberg.. the person is a danger to anyone on the water with his behavior..

 

[Belmont]

A 74 year old pulled a woman up from nearly 18 metres in less than a minute, really? He must be quite spry for his age. I have enough trouble hauling in a deep shot, let alone a whole person fighting against it. If it was in a minute, or less, she probably swam up to see what the problem was. I find this tale highly suspicious.
I'm not condoning the fisherman, but the reporting sounds exaggerated.

He pulls her up a few feet and her buoyancy becomes more and more positive as she ascends.

She probably did not vent her BC and made things easy for the old fart.

I would have been on my Z knife in a flash and venting down to zero.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

This is Florida we're talking about ... a 74-year old down there is practically a teen-ager ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Insta-Gator]

As a regular diver (not Fed employee) I'd be tempted to engage in some underwater mischief on that vessel.

 

[supergaijin]

The chest beating from internet tough guys may make that old man think twice before doing it again. HOOYAH

I keep a surface float in the water on the house reef but don't swim with it. Unfortunately the level of awareness from locals here is tantamount to zero regarding dive flags.

 

[LeafyGirl]

Glad it sounds like she is OK. Really, is the ocean getting that small? I agree with the comments about this man's behavior isn't an isolated incident and there are probably many more infractions and dangerous antics he's connected to. I agree, seriously, that a psych eval is in order. BTW, isn't fishing supposed to be fun and relaxing? I do agree a flag should not be clipped to diver. I hold it (yes a pita) but I just let go if needed, or do some tie it off in an environmentally proper manner? Don't know how much bottom she was covering, so that may not work. Kick him where it counts, in his wallet, seize the boat, take his license, give him a huge fine, but make an impression, for the safety of all divers, being pulled up like that could have caused diver panic and we know how bad things can go from there. What an ass$&@/ !

 

[Culcuhain]

IMHO the ONLY reason this is being prosecuted is because she is a protected class, a federal employee. If this had been one of us nothing would have been done. Unless we kicked the guys ass, then we would have been charged!

Sent from my DROID X2

no body... no crime.....