PUNTA GORDA, Fla. (WFLA) — A charter captain has been arrested after a viral video showed him fighting with another Florida boater last week, according to authorities.
Around 7:30 p.m. on April 1, 40-year-old Brock Horner pulled his boat alongside the victim’s boat and boarded it without permission, police in Punta Gorda said.
In the video, which has since gone viral, the fisherman, Gage Towles, tells Horner he can’t go flying underneath the 41 bridge in Punta Gorda, roughly 10 feet from the other boat. Horner appears to be upset about an incident that happened early on March 30 regarding Towles and others fishing in the dark without their lights on in the same area.
The charter captain is heard screaming and cursing and appears to become aggressive toward Towles before he jumps aboard the victim’s boat. Horner threatened Towles and grabbed him by the shirt, demanding him to apologize for the prior incident.
“The event has garnered significant attention on social media, and we are receiving numerous calls to dispatch requesting that the department take action,” the police department wrote in a Thursday Facebook post.
After police conducted several interviews with the victim and witnesses, they established probable cause to arrest Horner on Friday in connection with the unlawful boarding and threats under Florida Statue 810.02(2)(A) – Burglary with Assault or Battery (non-forced entry).
As of Friday night, Horner remained in the Charlotte County Jail.
The Punta Gorda Police Department addressed the viral confrontation Saturday morning.
“This type of behavior will not be tolerated in our waterways—or anywhere else in our city,” Punta Gorda Police Chief Pam Smith said. “We are committed to ensuring the safety of our residents and visitors, both on land and on the water.”
To watch the entirety of the video, click here.
Along with the police department’s investigation, the Florida Fish and Wildlife and the U.S. Coast Guard are conducting separate investigations given the nature and location of the incident.
Punta Gorda police said further details will be released as the investigation continues.
In a statement shared with media outlets last week, Horner’s attorney Scott Weinberg said the charter captain was “deeply sorry.”
“First and foremost, Brock sincerely apologizes to Gage, to Gage’s family, and to anyone who was frightened or upset by what they saw,” the statement read in part. “What began as a moment of frustration and concern escalated in a way it simply should not have. Gage handled the situation with impressive composure and class, and that level-headedness helped prevent things from becoming far worse.”
You can read the rest of Weinberg’s statement below:
“Brock is not proud of how he acted. But it’s important to remember: we are not the sum of our worst day. That video captured one moment—not the whole of who he is.
“Since the video went viral, Brock’s business has been destroyed, his reputation damaged, and his family — including his wife and mother—have been harassed and even threatened. Some have gone so far as to question his military service and accuse him of stolen valor.
“Let me be clear: Brock is a decorated combat veteran who was severely injured in Afghanistan. He served honorably, earned multiple medals, and suffered a traumatic brain injury in combat. He is recognized as 100% disabled by the Department of Veterans Affairs. That’s not an excuse — but it is part of his story. He stood up when this country asked him to, and that service deserves to be respected.
“We live in a time when online outrage can quickly spiral into personal destruction. But just as Gage showed grace in the moment, I ask others to do the same now. Let’s hold people accountable — but also give them room to grow and make amends.
“Brock is committed to doing exactly that.”
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