Charter captain arrested following confrontation captured on viral video

PUNTA GORDA, Fla. – The man at the center of a boating rage incident in Punta Gorda was arrested Friday night.

The backstory:

Charter captain Brock Horner, 40, was taken into custody and charged with burglary with assault or battery, non-forced entry.

On April 1, Horner was captured on video screaming at a young boater, Gage Towles, in the Peace River. He is seen pulling his boat alongside Towles’ boat without permission and unlawfully boarding it, according to a joint news release by the Punta Gorda Police Department, the U.S. Coast Guard and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. The incident was captured on video that Towles recorded.

Horner is accused of threatening Towles, escalating the incident into a criminal offense, according to investigators.

In addition to the criminal investigation, the U.S. Coast Guard and the FWC are conducting separate investigations due to the location of the incident.

What they’re saying:

“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.” 

Horner is being held at the Charlotte County Jail.. 

The Source: Information for this story was provided by a joint press release from the Punta Gorda Police Department, the U.S. Coast Guard and FWC.

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