A man claiming to be the “best charter captain you’ll ever meet” has been arrested after a video of him verbally attacking and allegedly illegally boarding another angler’s boat went viral. The man, Brock Horner, 40, was captured in the video boarding the vessel without permission, operated by Gage Towels, 22, according to the Punta Gorda Police Department.
“I’m the best charter captain you’ll ever meet in your mother f–ing life,” Horner yelled as he jumped aboard. The confrontation occurred Tuesday in the waters of Punta Gorda, Florida. Horner approached Towels, who was fishing, and questioned him about an incident that took place on March 30 around 5:30 am, as reported by the police.
Towels informed investigators that Horner had dangerously crossed under the Gilchrist Bridge at high speed, coming within 10 feet of his vessel and five feet of another boat, as stated by Chief of Police Pam Smith in the release. One angler, who was not associated with Towels and was on a different vessel, allegedly cursed at Horner for his reckless behavior, but Horner mistakenly thought it was Towels who was berating him. Horner demanded an apology before grabbing Towels by the shirt.
Towels can be heard throughout the video apologizing and pleading, “please bro, please bro.” He also explains that he had been boating, while another person had cursed at Horner, pointing to where the other boater was located.
“I’m not going to do this with you, bro… It’s not the right time, bro,” Towels said, trying to de-escalate the situation. Horner reportedly escalated the incident with demands for an apology.
Horner was arrested on Friday and charged with burglary with assault or battery, a first-degree felony under Florida Statute 810.02(2)(a).
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, along with the U.S. Coast Guard, continues to investigate this case.
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[Feature Photo: Brock Horner/Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office]
