PUNTA GORDA, Fla. (WFLA) — A Florida charter captain whose angry exchange with a fisherman went viral has been ordered not to contact the alleged victim, according to court documents.
On April 1, Brock Horner, 40, of Port Charlotte confronted fisherman Gage Towles, 22, at the Gilcrist Bridge.
According to a probable cause affidavit from Punta Gorda police, Horner was confronting Towles over an alleged incident where he said Towles had cursed at him and called him slurs on the morning of March 30.
Police said Towles’ account of the events was that he and his friend were fishing under the bridge at around 5:30 a.m. that day when Horner nearly struck his boat with the charter vessel. Towles also said another boater was nearby and was also close to being hit by Horner, who was said to be traveling “at a high rate of speed.”
The near-collision led to the three fishermen shouting at Horner before he rode off, the affidavit said. While Horner said the two other boats did not have their navigation lights on, Towles said he did and believed the other boater may have had his lights on, as well.
Towles and Horner encountered each other the following evening, which was caught on Towles’ GoPro camera. Initially, the two exchanged jabs over the previous incident.
“Bro, you can’t come flying through the middle of the f—— bridge,” Towles responded.
‘Bulls—-, yes I can!” Horner shouted back.
Towles attempted to de-escalate at multiple points, as shown by the video.
“I’m fishing; bro, get out of here!” the fisherman shouted.
However, the tense argument escalated when Horner brought his boat next to Towles’ vessel, shortly after saying he’s “the best charter captain you will ever meet!”
According to police, while boarding the vessel, Horner grabbed Towles’ shirt and pulled on it while the fisherman shouted apologies at Horner.
“While speaking to Towles, I asked him if at any time he felt the defendant wanted to fight him and he advised, ‘Yes,’” a Punta Gorda officer wrote in the affidavit. “Towles confirmed he also felt threatened and/or scared for his life and even considered jumping off his own boat into the water to get away from the defendant.”
The incident ended with Towles bringing Horner back to his boat as the captain says, “Do it again and watch what f——- happens,” among other statements.
The affidavit said Towles provided police with screenshots of Instagram messages where Horner admitted to the incident and apologized to Towles.
“It should be noted that contact was made with two of the passengers on the defendant’s boat at the time of the incident who agreed that the defendant had completely lost his temper and made poor decisions,” the document stated.
Punta Gorda police arrested Horner on April 4 on a charge of burglary with assault or battery. The U.S. Coast Guard is also conducting its own investigation.
On April 5, Horner was also ordered to have no contact with Towles and to surrender any guns and ammunition that he may have to the Charlotte County Sheriff’s office.
Since the incident, Towles has not spoken to the media, but in a victim impact statement released Monday, Towles’ attorney Steven Leskobich said he “is also greatly concerned with the outpouring of contempt and disgust that has been directed at Mr. Horner’s family, and the community.”
According to the statement, Towles wants those who have been angered by Horner’s actions to not make threats of violence or any vulgarity to the Horner family.
