Latest news with #Clearwater
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
Jannus owner Jeff Knight charged with 8 felonies in Clearwater Ferry crash
Jannus owner Jeff Knight charged with 8 felonies in Clearwater Ferry crash The boat operator who struck the Clearwater Ferry, killing one man and injuring 10 others, has been charged with eight felony counts of leaving the scene of a boating accident involving death and/or serious bodily injury in connection with the crash. In a news release about 6 p.m. Monday, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission announced the charges against Jeff Knight, a prominent local businessperson and owner of St. Petersburg concert venue Jannus Live. Knight was arrested about 6:30 p.m. after returning from the Bahamas and landing at St. Pete–Clearwater International Airport, said Pinellas-Pasco State Attorney Bruce Bartlett. Bartlett said a warrant was issued for Knight's arrest about a month ago and that his office had been in touch with Knight's lawyers. 'We didn't have to go through an extradition process,' Bartlett said. 'To his credit, he cooperated.' Knight was booked at the Pinellas County Jail at 7 p.m., records show. Jail records said bail was set at $5,000 per felony count. Each felony charge can carry a sentence of up to 30 years in prison and includes a mandatory minimum of four years in prison if the accident results in death. Florida's Lucy's Law, passed this year, imposed stricter penalties for boaters who flee the scene of a crash without offering aid or reporting the crash. 'He's looking at a — potentially — a pretty good hit of prison time, because he's going to have a lot of injury points with serious bodily injury and with the death," Bartlett said. 'That scores in on all of it.' Knight has maintained his innocence in letters written by his lawyer, J. Kevin Hayslett, who did not respond to a phone call or text message from a Tampa Bay Times reporter Monday evening. Additional misdemeanor charges, including failure to maintain a safe speed and failure to maintain a proper lookout resulting in a fatal boating accident, will be filed with the state attorney's office, according to the news release. 'We're proud of the cooperative efforts between our agency, law enforcement partners and the State Attorney's Office to bring justice to those impacted by this tragic event,' the agency's Southwest Regional commander, Maj. Evan Laskowski, said in the release. Officers with the wildlife commission reviewed surveillance video and physical evidence and interviewed multiple witnesses during the investigation, according to the agency. The U.S. Coast Guard is conducting a concurrent investigation into the Clearwater Ferry's involvement in the crash, the release said. The crash occurred April 29 as day turned to dusk near the Clearwater Memorial Causeway bridge. The ferry had been carrying 46 people, including two crew members, from Clearwater Beach when the collision was first reported at 8:43 p.m. Time-stamped video recorded by a city web camera at Coachman Park shows the boat crashing into the back of the ferry at 8:40 p.m. It then pulled away from the ferry and remained in the area as the ferry appeared to drift. About 10 minutes later, it began to slowly motor away from the scene. After the crash, Knight consented to a Breathlyzer test, which registered no alcohol in his system. Investigators did not draw blood to test for drugs at the time. Knight's lawyer has also suggested the ferry didn't have proper lighting and its crew were distracted by dolphins. Passengers on Knight's boat said they heard him shout, 'Where the f—k were their lights?' in the moments after the crash, according to one letter penned by his attorney. Those who spent their careers on the Intracoastal Waterway and rendered aid after the crash said they'd never had a difficult time seeing the ferry, which has plodded along the same route every week for the last decade. Multiple civil lawsuits have been filed against Knight by ferry passengers alleging he was 'careless and negligent' by operating at an excessive speed. Since the crash, Knight's boat has been impounded at the wildlife commission's office on Gandy Boulevard. Knight has had his share of trouble on the water, records show. In 2019, he was headed east toward the Dick Misener Bridge when he struck a pontoon boat, injuring three passengers. One woman suffered a broken leg and lacerations to her kidney, liver and lung. In 2012, a Jannus employee drowned near the Renaissance Vinoy Hotel while partying aboard Knight's docked vessel. The medical examiner's office discovered cocaine in the man's system. Knight has also been convicted three times on charges of driving while impaired, records show. He has been credited with saving a struggling Jannus Live after assuming partial ownership in 2009, in turn revitalizing the center of St. Petersburg's nightlife scene. Amid calls to boycott the downtown block, management has tried to distance the venue from Knight. 'Effective immediately, Jeff Knight is stepping down from his position at Jannus Live and will no longer have any affiliation with the venue,' the venue wrote in a social media post on April 30, which was signed by 'The Jannus Live family.' Records show at least two former employees have accused Knight of sexual harassment. A third person said he was fired after trying to stop Knight from assaulting one of the women. A bartender at Jannus Landing said Knight grabbed her by the hair and forced her to kiss him, a police report from June 2023 states. Four months later, another woman working as a security guard at Jannus Live alleged Knight groped her between the legs and licked her face. The family of Jose Castro, who was killed in the ferry crash, previously told the Times they hoped Knight would be charged. 'I want this guy to pay for what he did, for what we're going through right now,' said Castro's sister, Sandy Todd. Knight's DUI record and past incidents on the water aroused the family's suspicions. Castro's family did not respond immediately to a request for comment on Monday evening. 'This is a rich businessman that seems like he could do whatever he wants,' said Castro's brother-in-law, Kenny Rodriguez, in April. 'I'm just sick of it. How do you do this and just drive away? I'm very angry.' 'I want justice for Jose,' he said. Times staff writers Alexa Coultoff, Christopher Spata, Chris Tisch and Emily Wunderlich contributed to this report.
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Florida school chair's vile Hulk Hogan post sparks outrage as she apologizes for celebrating WWE legend's death
Florida county school board chair Sarah Rockwell has sparked outrage after making shocking comments about Hulk Hogan 's death on social media. The WWE icon died at the age of 71 on Thursday after suffering fatal cardiac arrest at his home in Clearwater, Florida. And while many fans took the time to share tributes to the wrestling legend, Florida county official Rockwell took aim at Hogan and his political views. In a post on Facebook, Rockwell wrote: 'Oh did Hulk die? I didn't even know. Good. One less MAGA in the world'. In a follow-up comment, she wrote: '[H]e worked with the McMahons to union bust professional wrestling. '[H]e's never been a good guy. I feel absolutely nothing about his death.' Rockwell seemingly mocked the death and claimed there was 'one less MAGA in the world' After the comments went viral on social media, Rockwell swiftly deleted them before later issuing a statement apologizing for the 'flippant' remarks. She wrote: 'A few days ago, I made a cruel and flippant comment from my personal Facebook account on a friend's post regarding the death of Hulk Hogan. I deeply regret making that comment and have since removed it. 'I want to make it very clear that I never have and never will wish harm on anyone regardless of whether we share political views. While I strongly disagree with some of the comments Hulk Hogan made, that is no excuse for my comment.' 'I also sincerely apologize for the way my comment has eroded confidence in my ability to represent all students, families, and staff in Alachua County. 'I want to assure all of you that the best interests of our children and our public schools are at the center of everything I do as a board member. I hope I have shown that by my record of advocacy for children, families, and staff members throughout Alachua County. 'Again, I apologize for the hurt and distrust I have caused with my insensitive comment. I will continue to do the hard work of putting our children and schools first. I hope that I can earn back your trust.' Though Rockwell limited comments on the apology post, fans of Hogan swiftly flooded to her profile page where they left lashed out at the Florida school official. 'You'll never be half the man that Hulk Hogan was,' one wrote. Hogan - whose real name is Terry Bollea - was reportedly working with the streaming giant on the unannounced project, which was set to chronicle his controversial life in and out of the ring, according to CNN. Throughout his final months, Hogan battled through the emotional toll of a bitter family feud with ex-wife Linda and his daughter Brooke. Rockwell later deleted her initial comments before sharing a groveling apology on Facebook In an astonishing video on social media shared back in March, Linda first accused her former husband of being a 'complete liar' and 'sex addict' . She also claimed their family is 'in the worst mess' after Brooke cut both parents out of her life, before hitting back at her mom by alleging that her dad was not the only reason behind the shocking family divide, claiming she was 'verbally and mentally abused' during her childhood. 'Sadly, it would frequently turn physical. And sometimes it's not by the person you would assume, abuse comes in all shapes and sizes,' Brooke alleged. After Brooke's stunning response, Linda then took a dramatic U-turn by defending Hogan and branding her daughter a 'narcissist.'
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Bam Margera shares concerning update on how Hulk Hogan and Ozzy Osbourne's deaths are affecting him
has admitted to having a 'really rough week' as he mourns the loss of both Hulk Hogan and Ozzy Osbourne. The WWE icon passed away on Thursday at the age of 71 after going into cardiac arrest at his home in Clearwater, Florida. Just two days earlier, the Black Sabbath singer died at the age of 76 while 'surrounded by love.' Margera, 45, paid emotional tributes to both the late stars on his Instagram page - and further opened up about their 'shocking' deaths while talking to TMZ in L.A. on Friday. 'It's been a really rough week,' he told the outlet while joined by his wife Dannii Marie. 'Especially with the Hogans. My heart goes out to all of them.' Margera then recalled recently spending the winter down in Florida with Hogan and his family while he 'skated with the pros.' The MTV star said he had crossed paths with Hogan one day who was 'walking around with a cane' and when he mentioned Marie was a stretch therapist, the wrestler said that was something he needed. 'So, we pretty much stayed in Florida the whole winter for the Hogans.' Margera shared memorable moments they had together, including karaoke nights on Mondays which they did 'all the time.' The professional skateboarder added that both he and Hogan had seeing Swedish-American guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen on their 'bucket list' - and were able to watch the musician perform before his death. Margera also remembered attending the wedding of Hogan's son Nick in January, which the WWE legend had also been in attendance at. He admitted that he was still having a hard time processing his sudden passing. 'I'm still - I feel a certain way. I'm still shocked by it all,' the star said, with his wife adding that they had plans to have dinner with Hogan next week. Margera and Hogan had known each other for years, and the pro wrestler had notably posted a tribute to the Jackass star in 2018 initially believing he was dead at the time. Hogan had shared a throwback photo of the pair on Twitter (now X) along with the message: 'D**n Bam I wish you were still with us. I sure would love to hang out again my brother love u miss u HH.' Margera shared memorable moments they had together, including karaoke nights on Mondays which they did 'all the time' Over on Instagram, Margera shared a tribute to Hogan upon learning of his death along with a slideshow of photos of the pair from over the years However, Hogan later realized that Margera was very much alive and admitted that he had mixed up the skateboarder with his Jackass co-star Ryan Dunn - who passed away in 2011 during a traffic collision. Over on Instagram, Margera shared a tribute to Hogan upon learning of his death along with a slideshow of photos of the pair from over the years. 'I'm crushed. Hulk was more than a hero, he was family to me and my wife,' he penned. 'The world just lost another legend today, and I lost a true brother. It was an absolute honor to take him to see Yngwie Malmsteen, one of his biggest wishes. 'Not many people knew it, but he was a professional musician before he was a professional wrestler. Hulk played in bands and was an incredible studio musician…amazing base player!' Margera added, 'Just so many great memories, like sitting beside him hosting karaoke together at his Hogan's Hangout. 'D**n, I'm gonna miss you man, it hurts. I'll never forget. Rest in power Hulkster. I'll carry your spirit forever.' Margera had also known Osbourne for many years - and the pair notably hosted the 2007 VH1 Rock Honors in Las Vegas together. Earlier this week, the MTV alum shared a picture of both he and Osbourne at the event alongside a moving message. 'Legends never die. I'm grateful to have shared this moment with Ozzy Osbourne hosting at the VH1 Rock Honors in Vegas.' He continued, 'Rest in power Ozzy… your spirit, your voice, and your madness will echo forever. Jack, Kelly, and Sharon… my wife and I share your pain. Our love and condolences to you.' Hogan's sudden death at the age of 71 in Florida was announced on Thursday, leavings loved ones and fans mourning over the loss. A Clearwater Police Department spokesman said in a statement at the time: 'Clearwater Fire Department and Clearwater Police Department personnel responded to a medical call at 9:51 a.m. today in the 1000 block of Eldorado Avenue on Clearwater Beach. 'The nature of the call was for a cardiac arrest. A 71-year-old resident, Terry Bollea, also known as Hulk Hogan, was treated by Clearwater Fire & Rescue crews before being taken by Sunstar to Morton Plant Hospital, where he was pronounced deceased.' A statement on Hogan's main Instagram account also confirmed his passing and read: 'It is with a heavy heart and deep sadness that we confirm we have lost a legend. 'Our beloved Terry Bollea, known worldwide as Hulk Hogan, passed away today surrounded by his loved ones. At this time of grief, we ask that everyone please respect the privacy of his family and friends. 'May we all take solace in the wonderful memories he left behind for the millions of fans worldwide whose lives he touched for more than four decades. He will be missed, but never forgotten.' Hogan had been father to two children: Brooke, 37, and Nick, 34 - whom he shared with ex-wife Linda. They had been married from 1983 to 2009. He later tied the knot with Jennifer McDaniel in 2010 until their divorce in 2021. Two years later, the WWE legend said 'I do' to Sky Daily and the pair were married up until his death on Thursday. Before his death, Hogan had undergone neck surgery and Sky claimed that his heart was 'strong' amid claims he was on his deathbed in a coma. The late star's rep also expressed in a statement, 'He's had problems with his back for years but there's no emergency.' A source told that the WWE icon was trying to get back to '100 percent' following both neck and back surgeries. 'Hulk has a body ravaged by wrestling, his body is the body of a 140-year-old man with all the bumps and bruises through the years, and his recent neck and back surgeries have been harder to come back from,' the insider said. Two days earlier, Osbourne's family released a statement on Tuesday announcing the Black Sabbath singer's death. 'It is with more sadness than mere words can convey that we have to report that our beloved Ozzy Osbourne has passed away this morning. 'He was with his family and surrounded by love. We ask everyone to respect our family privacy at this time. Sharon, Jack, Kelly, Aimee and Louis.' Weeks for his passing, Osbourne gave his final concert in Birmingham and told the crowd in his speech: 'You've no idea how I feel - thank you from the bottom of my heart.' The performer was known for both his popular and controversial moments, such as when he bit the head off a bat live on stage. He has been repeatedly asked about the moment over the years, but long insisted that he thought the bat was a rubber toy rather than a live animal. The Crazy Train singer had been battling Parkinson's disease since 2003.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Targeting This Forgotten Muscle In Your Leg Workouts Could Lead To Better Results
There are so many major muscle groups in your legs, it's easy to neglect the small ones—especially your inner thighs. These muscles (a.k.a. your adductors) are responsible for so much. They're the main movers in pulling your leg closer into the body, aid in rotation of the hips, and help stabilize the pelvis. Five different muscles make up this group—the gracilis, obturator externus, adductor brevis, adductor longus, and adductor magnus—physical therapist and exercise physiologist Milica McDowell, DPT, previously told WH. Squatting, running, jumping, and change-of-direction movements all require effort from your adductors. So, giving them a little extra attention now and then could improve the way you move in the gym, on the pickleball court, or even in everyday life. Not to mention, the muscles support the hips and core, so strengthening them means improving overall lower body stability, too, Allison Jackson, CPT, says. It doesn't take much to hit these muscles, either. Our trainers selected a few of our favorites that hammer your inner thighs more than others, so you can really hone in on them. Your move: pick one of the following 4 adductor exercises to incorporate into your leg day routine. Aim for 3 to 4 sets of 8 to 12 reps. Meet the experts: Allison Jackson, CPT, is a personal trainer and founder of Allison Rose Jackson. Milica McDowell, DPT, is a doctor of physical therapy, exercise physiologist, and owner of Clearwater Physical Therapy. You Might Also Like Jennifer Garner Swears By This Retinol Eye Cream These New Kicks Will Help You Smash Your Cross-Training Goals
Fox News
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Fox News
WWE legend expresses regret he was unable to speak to Hulk Hogan before his death
WWE Hall of Famer known as Brutus "The Barber" Beefcake expressed some regret that he had been unable to see Hulk Hogan before he passed away at the age of 71. Beefcake, whose real name is Ed Leslie, spoke to TMZ Sports on Saturday about his longtime friendship with Hogan. He said he had heard whispers that "The Hulkster" had not been doing so well, and he had thought about going to Hogan's Clearwater, Florida, home to visit him. "I was going to try to go to his house a couple of days ago. My wife said, 'You should just go over there.' And I was thinking, 'Oh, my God,' but if I go to the house and they say, 'No, you can't come in,' it would have crushed me. So I didn't, and now I wish maybe that I had tried to get in and tried to get to see him before he passed," he said. Beefcake was asked what he would have told Hogan if he had had one more chance to talk to him. "I love you brother, and we were truly friends to the end," he said. Beefcake said Hogan's friendship meant everything to him and that he had helped him break into the pro wrestling business. He recalled the great lengths that Hogan had gone to, to be there for him in his own time of need. Beefcake had been in a parasailing accident in July 1990, and Hogan had made the trip to see him. "I was in a horrible accident and not expected to live. And he left his family in California. His wife was about to have a baby, his son Nick, to fly to Florida to be there, because the doctor said they didn't think I was going to make it. And he flew there to be there for me. "And when they brought me out of a drug-induced coma, and he said to me, 'Don't even think about it. Brutus, you're going to live.' And I did. And he was there for me at the moment I needed the most." Beefcake and Hogan teamed together at the very early stages of their careers. They were known as The Boulder Brothers at the time. He was known as Brutus Beefcake when he first got started in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF). The two also were in the main event match for World Championship Wrestling's (WCW) Starrcade in 1994. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2019. Hogan died at a hospital on Thursday, an hour after he had had a cardiac event at his home.
