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Gasparilla Ends, Boat Chase Begins

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By JOSH POLTILOVE | The Tampa Tribune
and GEORGE WILKENS | The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 26, 2008

Updated: 01/27/2008 01:49 pm

TAMPA - TAMPA - A Lutz man in a stolen boat rammed a U.S. Coast Guard vessel and tried to hit a Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office vessel Saturday night as Gasparilla festivities were winding down, Hillsborough County deputies say.

Mark Koert

Deputies arrested Mark Koert, 27, about 9:15 p.m. Saturday.

Deputies were on patrol near Davis Islands about 7:20 p.m. when they tried to stop a 27-foot 2006 Maxum boat, a criminal arrest affidavit says. The $117,000 Maxum didn't have its running lights on and was traveling faster than the designated no wake speed. When a deputy tried to stop the boat, Koert continued south toward Tampa Bay.

Koert's boat narrowly missed two vessels before trying to ram the sheriff's office vessel, according to the affidavit. Koert tried to strike that boat more than a dozen times during the pursuit.

According to a sheriff's office media release, a 25-foot Coast Guard vessel responding to the incident was rammed twice by the Maxum. Aiming for the vessel's engine, Deputy Paul Shute fired two rounds from his .40-caliber Glock, a standard marine unit procedure to disable the motor. Coast Guard officers also fired shots, according to the sheriff's office.

The Maxum, pursued by boats from both agencies, stopped near the Platt Street bridge, where it was unable to maneuver through shallow water.

The Maxum was reported stolen while the pursuit was under way. The owner's name was not available late Saturday, but the boat had been moored near the Tampa Convention Center when it was taken, according to the arrest affidavit.

Nobody was injured in the incident.

Koert, of 24640 Siena Drive, was charged with grand theft $100,000 or more, fleeing to elude, reckless or careless operation of a vessel and two counts of aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer.

He remained in Orient Road Jail this morning. His bail was set at $38,000.

Reporter George Wilkens can be reached at gwilkens@tampatrib.com at (813) 865-4847. Reporter Josh Poltilove can be reached at jpoltilove@tampatrib.com or (813) 259-7691.

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