PSTA Agrees to $300,000 Settlement With 37 Clearwater Ferry Crash Victims

The Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority has agreed to pay $300,000 to settle claims from 37 victims connected to the deadly Clearwater Ferry collision that occurred in April 2025. The settlement marks a major development more than a year after a private powerboat struck the slow moving passenger ferry after dark near the Clearwater Memorial Causeway.

One passenger was killed, several others suffered serious injuries and the crash led to multiple criminal charges and civil lawsuits. While the agreement resolves the participating victims’ claims against PSTA, the larger legal case surrounding the collision remains far from over.

What Happened in the Clearwater Ferry Collision?

The collision occurred on the evening of April 27th, 2025, while the Clearwater Ferry was traveling near the Memorial Causeway with 45 passengers aboard. Investigators said a 37 foot private recreational boat operated by Jeffry Knight struck the ferry from behind. The impact killed 41 year old passenger Jose Castro and seriously injured several others aboard the ferry.

Emergency officials declared the crash a mass casualty incident as first responders worked to reach injured passengers and transport them for medical treatment. Knight was previously affiliated with Jannus Live in Downtown St. Petersburg. The venue later announced that he would no longer have any affiliation with the business following the incident.

PSTA has agreed to pay a combined total of $300,000 to settle claims involving 37 victims of the collision. The reported amount covers all 37 claims together. It does not mean that each person will receive the same payment. Individual settlement amounts may depend on injuries, damages and the terms negotiated for each claimant.

The settlement also should not be interpreted as a final determination of who was legally responsible for the collision. Settlements often resolve claims without requiring every disputed detail to be decided during a trial. However, the agreement gives dozens of people affected by the crash a degree of financial resolution while other criminal and civil proceedings continue.

Ferry Captain Fined for Missing Stern Light

Clearwater Ferry captain Dennis Kimerer was charged after investigators determined that the ferry did not have a functioning stern light at the time of the nighttime collision. In May 2026, Kimerer pleaded guilty to a reduced civil violation involving navigation rules and was ordered to pay a $500 fine.

A stern light helps make the rear of a vessel visible to boats approaching from behind after dark. The missing light has become an important part of the continuing arguments over how the collision happened and how responsibility should be divided. Kimerer’s representatives have maintained that the private boat was traveling at an unsafe speed. Knight’s defense has argued that the missing stern light prevented him from properly seeing the ferry before the collision. Those arguments remain allegations and have not produced a final determination of responsibility.

Jeffry Knight Faces Eight Felony Charges

Knight faces eight felony counts of leaving the scene of a boating accident involving death or serious bodily injury. He has pleaded not guilty. Investigators have also accused Knight of violating navigation rules, including failing to maintain a safe speed and failing to keep a proper lookout before the collision.

Knight’s criminal case is separate from the settlement involving PSTA and the 37 victims. Several civil lawsuits have also been filed in connection with the crash, including claims accusing Knight of operating the private boat at an excessive speed and failing to take evasive action.

Legal Cases Continue More Than a Year Later

The $300,000 settlement represents an important step for dozens of people affected by the Clearwater Ferry crash, but it does not close the broader case.

The collision left one person dead, injured multiple passengers and raised serious questions about boating safety, vessel lighting, speed and what happened immediately after the impact.

More than a year later, the criminal charges and civil lawsuits connected to the incident are still moving through the legal system. Until those cases are resolved, the final determination of responsibility for the deadly collision remains unsettled.