Boat crash into dock and jet ski lift in Cape Coral shocks neighbors

Neighbors in Cape Coral are searching for answers after a boat crashed into a dock and jet ski lift, causing damage before the captain continued on without stopping.

“I've never seen anything like that before. So it was quite surprising and alarming because my neighbor is out of town,” said Tricia Small, the neighbor who witnessed the incident.

Small described the day as a “typical Sunday, lots of boat traffic,” until she heard a loud bang.

“Looked up and was startled to see my neighbor's boat dock get slammed by a boater,” she said.

She was even more surprised when the captain did not stop.

“I asked if he was OK. He didn't reply. He just kept boating along, which was a little bit of a surprise for me, like a hit and run. And when I called Judy, I asked her if she had cameras and let her know that her dock had just been hit,” Small said.

The homeowners, who were out of town, said their jet ski lift, pilings, and electrical systems were damaged.

“Well, two of the pilings were bashed in, but more importantly, the electric was cut and there were live wires that fell into the water. So right away, in speaking to Judy and showing her photos, we went over and shut the breaker off so that it was safe,” Small said.

The boat involved, identified as the London Rose, was later found damaged a few miles away in Tarpon Estates. Neighbors along 56th Terrace in Cape Coral said the boat had hit more than one dock in the area.

Homeowner Judy Neher said it will take time to determine the cost of repairs to the jet ski lift, pilings, and electrical systems. She hopes the driver will come forward and take responsibility.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is investigating the driver and the boat owner. It is unknown what condition the driver was in at the time of the crash. Attempts to contact the owner of the London Rose were unsuccessful, as no one was home when reporters knocked on the door where the boat is now docked.

Small stressed the importance of community support in situations like this.

“Some of us are seasonal, and some of us are full-time. We still need to take care of each other, right? Especially take care of your seasonal neighbors. It was important that we put a watch out. A lot of neighbors have chimed in that they saw the boater, and I'm sure that we'll find out who did it and we'll get to the bottom of it,” she said.

Neighbors remain hopeful that the captain will come forward as the investigation continues.