PINELLAS CO., Fla. — Jeff Knight’s trial for the deadly Clearwater Ferry crash has been delayed to Feb. 1, 2027, with more pretrial proceedings and evidence disputes ahead.
The date was pushed from a tentative October 2026 start. Knight’s next pretrial hearing is set for July 24, 2026. The prosecution and defense are still trying to obtain Coast Guard reports but they have not been given access. The judge suggested they seek help from congressional representatives or the governor.
Knight was arrested on July 28, 2025, after a three-month Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission investigation. He is charged with eight felony counts of leaving the scene of a boating crash that killed one person and injured several others, along with 16 misdemeanor counts related to speed and failing to keep a lookout.
Knight, a former downtown St. Petersburg business owner, entered a not guilty plea on Aug. 1, 2025. Many depositions have already been taken, with more to come before the new trial date.
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