A commercial fishing boat captain in north Florida was sentenced to seven years in prison for breaking one of his deckhand’s jaw and trying to shoot another, federal prosecutors said.
The lawyer for Terry Carrington, 38, of Carrabelle, attributed his acts to substance abuse that led to an overdose.
Carrington was sentenced June 18 after previously pleading guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon and assault resulting in serious bodily injury, according to a news release from the office of the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
Here’s what happened, according to court records and the news release: Carrington and the deckhands were out on the Gulf “fishing for red snapper as part of a multi-day commercial fishing trip in April 2024.”
During the trip, “Carrington, without provocation, struck the first victim, breaking his jaw, rendering him unconscious.” The man later told investigators he had been hit so hard he felt like “the whole universe was wobbling.”
Carrington then got what was described as a “Remington bolt action 22-250 rifle” and “attempted to shoot the second victim, who after multiple shots … wrestled the rifle away from Carrington.” Ultimately, both men subdued him and returned to Apalachicola, where they called law enforcement.
In the news release, U.S. Attorney Jack Heekin called the incident a “violent, unprovoked attack on two innocent individuals.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Welch prosecuted Carrington, who was first defended by the Federal Public Defender’s Office and then by Tallahassee attorney Tim Jansen.
“This unfortunate event was the result of drug use that caused Mr. Carrington to suffer an overdose which resulted in hallucinations and voices that led to the violence against the deckhands,” Jansen said in a statement.
“People need to realize that ingesting drugs can result in catastrophic results for the user and others. Mr. Carrington apologized to the victims in court for his uncontrollable actions that day and is open to treatment for his addiction.”
The case was a joint investigation by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service.
(This story was updated to add new information.)
Jim Rosica can be reached at jrosica@tallahassee.com. Follow him on X: @JimRosicaFL.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Gulf fishing trip turns violent: Boat captain sentenced for ‘unprovoked attack’
Reporting by Jim Rosica, USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida / Tallahassee Democrat
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
