On September 7th, 2024, a Florida Fish and Wildlife helicopter was on patrol near a sanctioned swim race when the pilot observed a 36 ft yellow fin traveling at a high rate of speed directly towards the swimmers. A US Coast Guard vessel quickly intercepted the boater and ordered it to stop, but the boater continued. The pilot brought his helicopter 20 ft above the water and began hovering ahead of the vessel's path, bringing it to a stop. They got any fish? Are they Are they going on now? Are they going on some fish or they they come back? He has some lobster on board. Hey, while you're up there, farmer, while you're up there, check the hatchet. They're not taking on water. You say he had lobster. He's also got He was coming from Deb. He's also got lobster. You got lobster in there. Yeah. I didn't know that. Yeah, you just said you said something. from Are you the registered owner? Yes, sir. Are you the registered owner? Am I? Are you the registered owner? Yeah, of course. I own this. Okay. All right. Cap, I know that they're doing their survey thing. I'm going to go through a resource inspection. Okay. So, Officer Pearson, Florida Fish and Wildlife, I see that you have um uh tails. So, do you have to do anything with you have to do anything with him? Uh uh we'll do the safety stuff and we're going to issue a violation for the violation of the Capital. Okay. Absolutely. Month ago. That's good. We're going to do another one. We got to find something, right? Carlo, shut up. I set up. Do me a favor. Just sit back up here in the shade. I apologize for this. I was doing auto guidance and I'll never do that. Auto guidance is not necessarily a bad thing. It's just you can't you got to make sure you're looking ahead and what's coming up on you. You know, when you see all these boats, it should it should raise some red flags in your in your head. You're like, "Okay, well, what's going on?" You know, and especially with a helicopter overhead and I know, but the All stations, all stations, all stations, United Coast Center for a safety marine information broadcast concerning the alligator reef lighthouse swim in vicinity of Marada. Shift and listen to channel 22 alpha frequency decimal. And it's awesome that you're you got it on and you're monitoring it. I know it's it's great. I'm just saying like that there there's a broadcast going on for a reason. So again, the autopilot, the not not maintaining a proper lookout. And I you get you get kind of numb to those broadcasts, right? I get it. I get it. No, I listen to That's why we have sometimes I listen to Spanish ones when I come over. You have your driver You have his driver You have your driver's license? Yeah, he is. Uh he has I just have a passport for him. You can have anything you want. Okay, no worries, sir. You need a driver's license. I didn't You have your driver's license, sir? You have your driver's license on you? Yeah, I give it, sir. Yeah, officer. U my driver's license. Uh you didn't give me your driver's license. Just pass. I got a driver's license for uh your mate and passport for him, but I didn't get a driver's license for me. Do you have any do you have any other fish or anything like that? Or just lobster? No, just lobster. Okay. Mind if I check this? You mind if I check this bag right here? Anything you want to check? I mean, I'm looking around. They got 10 of lemonades. Yeah. I asked him how much they drank. He said two. Clearly they drag more. Okay. Um and I I know he's I asked him for his decals, like his oil pollution stuff, and he he literally handed me a rag. Hand you a rag? Yeah. And then it took me 5 minutes to explain to him that it wasn't a sticker. So I don't know. I I didn't find any like residential marijuana or anything. I don't know if it's like a combination of both. Okay. They're uh I mean we're going to terminate them, but I mean I don't know what you guys think as far as stuff. We'll check it out. All right, Cap. So, we have So, we have um I see I see some violations. Okay. So, before before I ask you any more questions, I'm going to read your rights. All right. So, we're on the same page. Okay. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in the court of law. You will still have the right to stop answering any questions at this time. So at this time do you want to talk to me regarding the violations that I've seen violations? Uh it's going to be um wrong tails. So the tails can't be the tail you have it has to be in whole condition. Discuss that with you. Okay. Okay. Okay. So what um so when did y'all go out? So what's the story? What just can give me give me a breakdown what happened today? I live in the Bahamas. I have a home there. Okay. Lobster season opened recently. I, you know, they're nice. They'll want to bring them home and throw them out. That was it. I had no idea they were moving. I would have left them in the bottom if I knew. Okay. So, the thing about it is the tails the tails they are they're a proper size. So, once they're separated Yeah. you have to keep them down there. Yeah. So, did you did you Who who caught them? I'm sorry. Who caught the Who caught the lobster? Well, I paid someone 100 bucks. You pay someone 100 bucks for them. Okay. At the Bahamas. Pretty common practice. Is that Is that a big violation? It's No, I mean they have to remain in whole condition. So they once you're transporting lobster, it has to be in whole condition when you transport lobster. Okay. I wish I never bought them last night. peeling up the boat trying to come back and buddy of mine's like fresh if you want them. I love those lobsters. Those biminy lobsters are amazing. I got you. Yeah. Okay. Um I will be fine put in jail if you need to lobster, but No, I I did not intend to break any laws. I I understand that. It's just lobster's heavily regulated down here. I don't I'm sure. I'm sure. I got you. But but once once you cross over that that that line I got you. I got you. Um. All right. So, find me. I will pay a fine. I I admit this made a mistake. Brought him in. I was wrong. I am feeling guilty of bringing them in not knowing which ignorance is not an excuse. Right. I got you. Okay. Whatever you want to do to me, take care of it. No, we we we'll we'll get it figured out. Um how much how much you How much have you had to drink? How much you had to drink today? Three drinks. Three drinks. Oh, how long how long ago? Four hours. 4 hours ago. Okay. Okay. I see I see I see a bunch of cans. Look at him. That's Yeah, I know. I know. He's I'm above I got you. I got you. I got you. Um I'm a responsible I hear you, man. I hear you. I I I trust you. Um you mind you mind if I check your eyes? You mind if I check your eyes real quick? Okay. Um I'm going to have you I'm just going to have you How do you do that? I'm going to run a series of tasks on you and just check your eyes. Make sure you don't have any involuntary jerking of the eyes and the stagmas. Okay. Just to make sure you can operate the vessel safely. Okay. I appreciate that. I'll tell you what. I'm not going to have you do all that. I'm just going to have you come around and sit in the sitting on the edge here for me. Okay. Yeah, appreciate that. I love how I tie those lines. All right, sir. So, you rub remove any glasses? Okay. You are you wearing any contact lenses? No. No. All right. I'm going to check your eyes. I want you to hold your head still. Okay. And follow the stimulus with your eyes only. What is I'll show you. So, the stimulus is going to be this right here. That's going to be the stimulus. Okay. That's going to be a stimulus. So, just follow with your eyes only. Okay. My eyes. No, no, no. Just follow the stimulus with your eyes only. Keep your head still. Okay. How will I see it? What's that? Just you going to look at you're going to look at this. Yeah. Yeah. Just this this is the stimulus right here. Okay. Just follow with your eyes only. Don't move your head. Okay, you can rest your eyes. All right. So again, just follow the stimulus with your eyes only and don't move your head. Okay. Okay. Don't move your head. Okay. Just keep your keep your head still. Got it. All right. I'm going to go with another task. It's going to be uh distinct status at at maximum deviation. Okay. The same the same thing. Just follow the simul with your eyes only. Okay. Okay. Just keep your head still. All right. This is going to be the last task. Okay. The same thing. Just follow the stimulus with your eyes only. Don't move your head. All right. All right. I'm going to do one more. The same thing. Just follow. You good? I'm going to give your eyes a rest. Oh my god. It's like you can't blink. Yeah. Have you ever tried this? I've done it all the time. I do it all the time. You really? Yeah. I have to cuz I have to practice it. Oh, okay. Okay. The same thing. Follow the same. Keep your head still. Just follow with your eyes. Absolutely. All right. So, I'm going to have you do three different tasks. Okay. Uh, put your put your feet down for me. Is there a way to Is there a way to move this? This thing's like broken. All right. I'll tell you what. Just uh sit right here for me. Yeah. All right. All right. So, sit straight at the front edge of your seat. Put your hands down at your sides and place your feet shoulderwidth apart so you're comfortable and stable. Are you stable? I think so. Are you stable? Yeah. Okay. Don't move your feet until the tasks are over. Stay in this position and do not do anything else until I tell you to do so. Do you understand? Yeah. All right. We understand. We're on the boat, right? I got you. Yeah. I just want I just make sure you're stable right there. Do you have any Do you have any physical defects or disabilities? I don't. You have any defects with your eyes? I don't think so. I mean, I can't see well. Okay. Are you sick or injured? Are you under the care of a doctor or dentist? Uh, no. Okay. So, I'm going to go through I'm going to go through the test. I'm going to go through one more time. Okay. All right. I'm going to check your eyes. Hold your head still and follow the stimulus with your eyes only. Okay. So, follow the stimulus with your eyes only. feel like when I go home. When I go home for about five seconds. All right. The first task I'm going to have you do is the finger to nose task. All right. Make a fist with both hands. I'm going to show you this. Okay. Make a fist with both hands extending your index finger and turn your palms forward. How do you do that? Like this. Oh, like that. Okay. Out to the side. Like that. Out to the side. Like that. There you go. When I say begin, tilt your head back about 45°. 45. Wait till I finish the Wait till I finish the instructions. When I say begin, tilt your head back to about a 45°ree angle and close your eyes. I'm going to show you about that right there. I'm not going to close my eyes for safety. Okay? But do it like that. And keep it keep your hands in the same position. When I tell you to touch the tip of your nose with the tip of your index finger and immediately return it to your side. I'm gonna say that again. When I tell you to touch the tip of your nose with the tip of your index finger and immediately return to your side. Okay? That's a tip. Not the sides. Not that. That's a tip of it. Okay? Keep your hands down to this. Keep your hands down. Okay? When I say right, you must touch your right index finger to your nose. When I say left, you must touch your left index finger to your nose. Do you understand? Okay. It's a little wavy out here. I got you. You ready? Left. Right. Left. Keep your hands down. Keep your hands down to your side. There you go. Right. Right. Left. My left hand is like really messed up because I broke my arm. So, it's like messed up nerve-wise. You can see that. Okay. How long ago did you break it? Um, back in my 20s. But I can touch my nose with this. This arm is like nerve damage. Okay. All right. You put your hands down to your side. All right. The next task is going to be the palm pad. Okay. You're going to place your place your place your hands hands palm to palm with one hand up and one hand down like this. All right. Really cool stuff you guys are doing. Remain in this position while I explain the task. You understand? Absolutely. Sir, when I tell you to begin, turn the top hand over and count out one. Then turn it back over and count out two. Counting only when the hands make contact like this. I'll show you. One, two, one, two, one, two, one, two, one, two. Repeat this. Speed up as you go and do not stop until told. Make sure to keep your hands and fingers parallel during each pat like this. I understand. I understand, but I have to show you just Okay. One, two, one, two, one, two, one, two, one, two, one, two. You'll be years old. Begin. One, two, one, two, one, two, one, two, one, two, one, two, one, two, one, two, one, two, one, two, one, two, one, two, one. Stop. All right, here's the last task. All right, this is the last one. Okay, make fists with both hands. Place your left fist at the center of your chest and your right fist against your left fist like this. Always. Do it. Do it. Do it again. All right. Remain in that. Remain in this position while I explain the tasks. You understand? You understand? Sir, maybe the You understand? I do. Okay, when I say begin, you must perform four tasks. The first task is to count out loud from 1 to four while you move your fists in a step-like fashion, making contact between your fists at each step. I'll show you. 1 2 3 4. They might still have it. The second task is to memorize the position of your fist. After you have counted to four, clap your hands three times and return your fist to the memorized position. 1 2 3. One, two. Not yet. Not yet. You got to stay in position. The third task is to move your fists in a step-like fashion in reverse order, counting out loud from five to eight. Stay in that position. Okay. and return your left fist to your chest from five to eight. That sounds weird. Want me to Okay, repeat this. I can repeat it for you. Yeah, let me make a fist with both hands. I got the place your left fist in the center. I have to go up the whole thing though. So, it's this procedure. The first task is to open your hands with palms down and place them on your lap. So, after you're finished, that's it. All right. One in the middle. So 1 2 3 4 and then I clap my hands. Then I go back. Just go through it one more time. Okay. The first test is it kind of loud from one to four while you move your fist in a step-like fashion. Begin. One, two, three, four. Count. What's that? One, two, three, four. I got to put my not my pens yet. I don't want I can't drive. Okay. Try again. Give me the instructions. I can do this. Okay. It's just like really long instruction. I got you. So, I got the 1 2 3 4. What happens after that? Okay. And the palms out. I get that at the end. All right. The first test is count out loud from one to four. You you want to try it again or No, I'm going to try it again. I'm going to keep trying. I mean, I've had like three beers from Biminy in 3 hours. Now, I went out last night. I'm not going to do that, but um put my watch in the pocket. We're going to do this really well. So, one 2 3 4. This sucks, man. I've been living down here my whole life. I haven't done anything wrong. These tests are so hard. Can I try the test again? It's all right, sir. We'll move on. Okay. They arrest problem three drinks and I can't even I'm going home to Marco Island. Hi sir. I haven't even cleared customs. This is so difficult. I own it. All right, sir. So, I I am going to place you under arrest. That's fine. For operating your vessel while impaired. Okay. Turn around. Hey, Maria, take pictures of me being handrested. What happened? I'm getting arrested. For what? For what? Alberta while impaired. free drinks and I couldn't pass their test. Come on. I'm ready. Ready. All right. Here's the crazy thing. I'm not even [Music] You've been good to me, man. Is that too tight for you? Is that too tight? You good? You're all right. All right. Hold on. Is my passport in here? I I'll get all your information, sir. Don't worry. They're taking pictures of us. How do I ignore you? Okay. Is this your Is this your wallet? Yeah. Okay. My passport in there. That's I'll double check for you. This is yours. This your wallet. All right. Yep. Last task. I I feel them all. Careless. Don't worry about it. Don't piss. I do. arrest you when you can't even know the handbook by memory and arrest you shut up. All right. All right. I'll shut up. I'll shut up. Wow. Turn into this. I'm not going anywhere. I'm not videaping all this. Show my hands. Come on. Ready. No. No. Wait. Wait, you're good. Good. Just come up to the front and sit down right here. Sure. Just rest your back against this. Absolutely. You already uh you already took pockets and everything? Yeah. Do do you have any idea what you're going to do with the boat or what's going on? So, I can do it. Okay. Is is his wife on the phone right now? Yeah. Want to talk to the officer that arrested Tom? All right. All right. Uh, yes, ma'am. Yes. He almost he he there was a helicopter trying to stop him with two vessels alongside trying to stop him from entering an area where we have swimmers for a sanctioned race. He nearly almost ran uh in the in the course where the swimmers were going. So, after we stopped him, we saw that uh we uh USCG Coast Guard uh Coast Guard boarded his vessel and we then proceeded to go through a resource inspection because he had um lobster tails on the on on board. Um, I saw that he had a bunch of uh um alcoholic beverages on the deck of the boat. So, I went and did an investigation and he was in I found that he was impaired. So, so that this this this going to happen right now. So, I'm taking the plantation key. Plantation key jail. Do you have an idea what you're going to do with the vessel? Uh, no. He's he's been drinking as well. He's there's no way he can operate the vessel. Let's get call. Okay. I'm going I'm going to hand the phone back to Carlos cuz I have to go, ma'am. But uh yeah, just start heading this way. The the boat the boat's going to be out here. Okay. So, I'm going to give the phone back to Carlos so you can talk to him. Okay. Customs going to meet you on the pier. Um he got a clear custody. Uh I mean I guess so cuz we have we have the lobster tails. I got to do that too. We have the tail. So, we're going to end up taking this back to our station to USCG. Okay. I'm going to let it I'm going to let it cool off just a little bit cuz the truck's really hot. He's going to let the truck cool off real quick. What do you want? No, I I have no hands so Oh, okay. Yeah. Yeah, we got you. We'll make sure. Yeah. You sure? Yep. Ready to go. Want to cool the truck down for you, man. I didn't want sitting there. Thank you. And then I'll help you. My AIS. You guys didn't like notify me on my 16. Did you have it on uh scanning? We were on all the channels yelling about everything. I don't I don't know what happened here. Take No, I want him to help me. Okay. I trust him. Process. Um, your feet, man. You see? Uh, I have no shoes. Doesn't matter. I'm fine. All right. I'm a Florida boy. I got you. You grew up in the Keys. I got you. Let me have you stand up real quick. Okay. Okay. All right. Well, I've never done drugs. You're nothing. No, I got I got you, man. I got you. Come over here for me. Okay. Keep on going. Move out of the hallway. Give me a second. Okay, man. Over here. I know you are, man. Can you push my chair back before you take a picture of me? Oh, they'll do that for you. I'm not going to take a picture of you. We have it come over here for me. Do you want me to sit? Sit down. Sit down yet. I'm not going to take a test. Call me later. You're not You're not going to You're not going to um blow. I'm sober. I I'm not going to take a test. I mean, sir, sir, I'll be I'll be honest with you. You had a helicopter overhead and then you had two vessels stopping you down before you got before you autopilot looking at at my [Music] I I messed up. I should be written up for that. I should be ticketed for what I did, but not for drunk. I have never committed a crime. So, at the end of the day, I'm going to call my lawyer again. I I don't feel like I deserve this. Okay. So, I have to read to see you. If you refuse to submit, the test I have requested is admissible into evidence in any criminal proceeding. Absolutely. Okay. Okay. I have to clear customs. Do you work for customs? No, I was coming from the Bahamas and Mhm. I got pulled over. I made a mistake, but um now I'm here and I've not cleared customs to be in this country yet. So, I mean, I'm sure So, we where I know there's another officer talking to Coast Guard, so I'm sure we'll get that situated. I just want to make sure we Did you Did you call Coast Guard? I didn't expect to get pulled over. I was going to my house. Um, no. I have not called customs. Okay. Sir, do you want to provide a sample? No, I don't. Are you sure you don't want to prove? I I was not even drunk when I was driving my boat. I'm going to prove a point right here. I'll go to jail. I'll get my lawyer involved. I'm done. Okay. If you I don't trust you guys, man. I'm okay. But this this is a a piece of equipment that either is going to tell us that you're below the legal limit. I'd rather go to jail. Okay. So, you're refusing. Yep. I should have never brought lobsters back. That was the biggest mistake of my life. Well, I don't think the lobsters was the biggest issue. I think that you got there was you got to understand that there was a sanctioned event with hundreds of swimmers and it took a Coast Guard helicopter to drive right should Let me ask let me ask you something. You run over let's say just one swimmer. I don't want to ever do that. Okay. So, if we're if I mean I wasn't there, but from what I've heard and from what you're telling me, there was a helicopter that land that got right in front of you to stop the boat. Yeah. I'm guilty of that. Absolutely. But I have AIS in my boat and I have channel 16 coast guard came on. They they're they're like turn the radio down. No one held me. They came in. I was fine. They said, "Do you have anything on the boat?" Lobsters. And then you guys came in. And now here I am. Everything, my paperwork, everything was fine. But why did it take out? Because I was on autopilot. And you know what? I I made 36 yellow for three. I mean, it's a I'm just But do you understand like I do. I really messed up. I'm going to jail for like driving a boat drunk. Okay. I was on auto. That's fine. You can take that to court. I mean, you're obviously going to take it to court. You said already, but I know you said that, but you said you were going to get your lawyer involved and take it to court. Only I'm not going to take it to court. I think this is wrong. I think what we're doing right right here is wrong. Well, say what's what's wrong with I messed up and I should be fined for it. I should be thrown in jail for like not seeing the buoys and knowing there's a sanctioned swimming event. I travel sea waters every week and it's like I didn't know I messed up. I get that I totally screwed up and I own it. That part of it. In the end, Thomas was charged with a thirdderee felony for operating a vessel in a safety zone after being warned against doing so. Additionally, he was charged with two first-degree misdemeanors, one for boating while impaired and one for reckless operation of a vessel. He was also charged with possession of spiny lobsters that have been rung or separated from the body, a seconddegree misdemeanor. His case remains ongoing. If you like this video and want to see more like it, subscribe to Arrest Cam. As always, thanks for watching.