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Camera Catches Boat Chase

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By CHRIS ECHEGARAY

Published: January 28, 2008

TAMPA - Images of a stolen boat and the arrest of Lutz man who led the U.S Coast Guard and Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office on a chase after Gasparilla were released today.

Authorities used the FLIR system, a thermal imaging device used at night, to catch Mark Koert who rammed a U.S. Coast Guard vessel and tried to hit a deputy's boat on Saturday night.

Koert, 27, was arrested at 9:15 p.m. 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 was released on $38,000 bond.

Koert's attorney, Ralph Fernandez, says the incident was bizarre because it was totally out of character. Fernandez says Koert is a real estate broker in the area, a University of South Florida graduate with a degree in communications and has never had problems with the law.

"People I have spoken to say nothing but pleasant things and are very supportive of his present plight," Fernandez says. "Some people may think this is not serious or just a jovial thing. It's anything but."

Deputies were on patrol near Davis Islands about 7:20 p.m. when they tried to stop the 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.

Koert continued south toward Tampa Bay.

Koert's boat nearly hit 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.

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