Who:
Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office
Patrol Operations Bureau
-Marine Unit

Sergeant Ron Blair (Marine Unit)
Age: 34
Date of Hire: 9/25/2006

Deputy Jayson Young (Marine Unit)
Age: 34
Date of Hire: 10/12/2012

David Johnson (Victim – Rescued)
DOB: 3/5/1952
Address: John’s Pass

What:
Deputies assigned to the Marine Unit have rescued a stranded boater after their vessel takes on water and sinks.

When:
The incident occurred at about 5:13 p.m. on Friday, July 17, 2020.

Where:
The incident happened in the water under the Tom Stuart Causeway in Madeira Beach.

Why/How:
Deputies assigned to the Marine Unit have rescued a stranded boater after their vessel took on water and sunk.

According to investigators, deputies were dispatched to the Tom Stuart Causeway for a boater trapped in the water during a heavy storm. An empty, 30 foot sailboat had broken its anchor during a heavy lightning storm and drifted into the Tom Stuart Causeway.

Local resident, 68-year-old, David Johnson paddled his dingy to the causeway to dislodge the boat from the Causeway. The heavy storm caused his vessel to take on water and sink. Johnson became trapped between pilings and the sailboat and was unable to rescue himself.

Sergeant Ron Blair and Deputy Jayson Young arrived at the Causeway and rescued Johnson from the water. They used their Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office vessel to tow the sailboat from the Causeway and brought Johnson to waiting paramedics on land.

Johnson was treated for minor injuries and released by paramedics.

He was wearing a life vest.