PUNTA GORDA, Fla. — Florida Fish and Wildlife officials say 27-year-old Nick Knowlton died when he crashed his boat into a rock jetty near Fisherman's Village on Saturday night.
Original reporting:
https://www.fox4now.com/punta-gorda/27-year-old-man-dies-after-boat-crashes-into-rock-jetty-in-punta-gorda-fwc-says
FOX 4's Bella Line spent the day learning more about what Knowlton meant to the local fishing community:
For a close-knit fishing community, getting back on the water Monday wasn't easy.
"Very tough to, tough to swallow," said Captain Justin Snauffer of High Tide Charters.
Captain Justin Snauffer told Line he was on the water that night.
"I was out running a charter that night when it happened. I was up at the 41 bridge, and we saw the fire boats head over that way, you know, not knowing what, what had happened," Snauffer said.
Snauffer says he has known Nick for years. Nick was a young captain but Snauffer says he was driven from the start.
"It's just tough because Nick was just such a good kid, and just would always be there to help anybody," Snauffer said.
Kent Hickman with Power Pole National Redfish Tour said, "We want to wish our condolences to Redfish Pro Nicolas Knowlton and his family. Our sport lost a great man!"
A company in Tampa who worked with Nick sent FOX 4 a statement. It said in part, "Nick was an incredibly ambitious and deeply knowledgeable fisherman, with many tournament wins still ahead of him. His passion, skill, and dedication to the sport inspired everyone around him. He will be truly missed by the entire fishing community."
A Charlotte County spokesperson says Knowlton was the son of County Attorney Janette Knowlton.
In a statement, the county said, "We will all be holding the family close to our hearts, especially his mother and our dear colleague, County Attorney Janette Knowlton, as they endure this tragic loss."
"It's just it sucks when one of your brothers gets all of a sudden, just taken away out of nowhere," Snauffer said.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission says the investigation is still ongoing.
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