SARASOTA – The screams of park goers can be heard in an eyewitness video that captures the moment 32-year-old Brendan Sheridan crashes into several docked boats and a pier near Bayfront Park and Marina Jack.
Sheridan’s joyride landed him in jail with four counts of boating while under the influence… and now a new charge. A first-degree felony for committing grand theft. The captain of the large Carver Yacht Sheridan was operating faces a harsh reality.
“Well I’m out of a job,” said Phil Costello.
Captain Costello worked alongside Sheridan onboard the Island Diva. Costello says Sheridan was never given permission by the boat owner to drive the vessel, and that his actions have left him unemployed.
“There was extensive fiber glass damage and gel coat damage to the front and both sides of the boat, the railing was the damaged, the anchor pulpit was ripped off, as well as one of the engines was damaged,” said Costello.
And that’s not all, the Island Diva sustained a broken window and damaged the air conditioning system. Costello says the repairs might take weeks and cost nearly $50,000 to $75,000.
“What all has been damaged, the [single] pier he ran into that’s going to be $50,000 to replace,” said Costello. “The boat that he slammed in is probably going to be a total loss.”
At the time of Sheridan’s initial arrest, his two breathalyzer tests were more than 2.3 times the level at which a person is considered impaired. Costello is now left to look for jobs outside the state waiting for the Island Diva to be repaired and ready to set sail once more in Sarasota Bay.
Sheridan’s next court appearance is scheduled for December 11th.
