Lock operator says dispute over who went first through Charlotte County lock escalated into assault and boat crash

CHARLOTTE COUNTY, Fla. — What started as a disagreement over who would go first through the South Gulf Cove Lock has turned into multiple investigations after a lock operator says he was assaulted and a boat crashed into the lock.

John Minitello, the South Gulf Cove lock operator, says the incident happened Sunday while he was working.

According to Minitello, a boater became upset after he was told to wait while a sailboat passed through the lock first.

"He came up the ladder here, pushed me once," Minitello told WINK News. "Before I had time to even think about it, he pushed me again."

Minitello says he then activated the recording feature on his Meta glasses, capturing video of the confrontation.

He says moments later, the boater returned to his vessel and accelerated into the lock.

"After that, he accelerated the boat into the gates, and his wife went off into the water," Minitello said. "We called 911."

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission confirmed it responded to the incident on July 12 along with the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office.

According to FWC, preliminary information indicates a vessel carrying two occupants was inside the South Gulf Cove Lock when the operator became involved in a verbal altercation with the lock operator.

FWC says shortly after the lock opened, the operator accelerated at a high rate of speed and struck the lock, causing one of the occupants to enter the water. The agency said neither occupant was injured.

FWC cited the vessel operator for violating a navigational rule. The boating accident remains under investigation.

Minitello says larger vessels are sometimes allowed through the lock by themselves to safely navigate the changing water levels inside.

He says that was the case Sunday.

"For safety reasons, the sailboat had precedence," Minitello said. "There's no reason for anybody to cut in line."

Minitello says he initially chose not to pursue charges because he was not injured.

However, he says the following day the same boater returned to the lock in a vehicle.

Minitello alleges the man took photographs of him and his vehicle and repeatedly told him, "You'll be getting a visit."

He says that encounter prompted him to file a report with the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office.

The Sheriff's Office confirmed to WINK News that its investigation has been forwarded to the State Attorney's Office.

However, a spokesperson for the State Attorney's Office told WINK News there are currently no publicly available cases under either person's name. The spokesperson added that if a case is under review for possible criminal charges, that information is not considered public record.

FWC says its investigation into the boating accident remains active.