Charter Captain Arrested After Viral Boating Brawl in Florida

A charter captain has been arrested after a viral video captured a heated altercation with another boater in Florida last week, authorities confirmed.

According to the Punta Gorda Police Department, the incident occurred around 7:30 p.m. on April 1, when 40-year-old Brock Horner maneuvered his boat alongside another vessel and boarded it without permission.

In the video, which quickly spread across social media, fisherman Gage Towles can be seen telling Horner he can’t speed underneath the 41 bridge in Punta Gorda, just about 10 feet away from Towles’ boat. Horner, appearing angry over a previous incident on March 30—where Towles and others were allegedly fishing in the dark without lights—begins shouting and using profanity. The confrontation escalates when Horner leaps onto Towles’ boat, grabs him by the shirt, and demands an apology for the earlier encounter.

"The event has garnered significant attention on social media, and we are receiving numerous calls requesting action," the police department said in a Facebook post on Thursday.

Following interviews with Towles and multiple witnesses, authorities determined there was probable cause to arrest Horner. On Friday, he was charged under Florida Statute 810.02(2)(A) with burglary with assault or battery (non-forced entry). As of Friday night, Horner remained in custody at the Charlotte County Jail.

The Punta Gorda Police Department addressed the viral incident again on Saturday morning.

“This type of behavior will not be tolerated in our waterways—or anywhere else in our city,” said Punta Gorda Police Chief Pam Smith. “We are committed to ensuring the safety of our residents and visitors, both on land and on the water.”

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