Boat rage in the Florida Keys? Fishermen accused of trying to capsize father, son
Florida Keys deputies arrested a charter fishing captain and his mate on charges they used their boat to try to capsize a father and son on a kayak.
The man and his teenage son, who the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office didn’t name, were fishing near the docks behind The Hammocks at Marathon resort in the Middle Keys shortly before 2 p.m. Thursday. That’s when two men on a 21-foot boat tried using the vessel to overturn their kayak, said, Adam Linhardt, spokesman for the sheriff’s office.
The pair told deputies they were in fear the boat would run them over and that the boaters appeared to be angry they were fishing in the area, Linhardt said. Deputies watched security camera footage from the marina, which corroborated the kayakers’ version of events, Linhardt said.
James Gagliardini, 52, and his mate, 34-year-old Eric Wink, remained in county jail as of Friday afternoon awaiting a judge to set bond, according to sheriff’s office records.
Gagliardini faces charges of aggravated assault, reckless operation of a vessel and intentional harassing fisherman. Wink was arrested on aggravated battery.
This story was originally published July 11, 2025 at 1:04 PM.
