TAMPA, Fla. (AP) – The attorney for a cruise passenger says it was stupid for the man to release the ship’s anchor at sea last year, but it shouldn’t be a federal crime.
The attorney for 45-year-old Rick Ehlert told the Tampa Tribune Thursday that the wealthy Californian was drunk at the time and guilty of nothing more than “felony stupidity.” He has filed a motion in federal court in Tampa to have the charges dropped.
Prosecutors say Ehlert could have damaged the ship when he broke into a control room and deployed the anchor aboard the MS Ryndam early on Nov. 27. The Holland America ship, which was sailing from Costa Maya, Mexico, to Tampa, wasn’t damaged and nobody was hurt.
Sounds like bad security to me!!!
If there is a federal statute covering the interference of the safe navigation of a vessel then he should be charged. I’m pretty sure he’d be facing charges if he wason a train and pulled the emergency brake cord without a valid reason. Screw him.
Note the Key Word in this Blurb…“Wealthy”! Now he wants to buy his way of of his Stupidity! Lock his ass up!
More than likely the federal assistant A.G. will drop this one, he won’t be able to pad his resume’ or get any positive press for himself with it.
I agree with master chief above, the charges will most likey be dropped. everyone learned their lesson, no one was hurt, and no equipment damaged.
So if I take my gun outside on the street, close my eyes, spin around a few times and fire a random shot then it’s all good as long as I was drunk, no one was hurt and no equipment damaged?
It was dumb luck that no one was hurt or killed. It was reckless endangerment of the lives of each soul on board.
Maybe we could all start emailing the District Attorney´s office and voice our opinions on the severity of the matter
Put him on the end of a needle gun or some other really shitty deck job for a year or two. Or maybe let him ride said anchor to Davy Jones’ Locker.