Stolen Boat/Only in Florida

[Bruce]

This is one of my customers. The boat owner, not the guy they found.



Man held after being found adrift in stolen boat
By Allyson Bird

Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

Wednesday, August 23, 2006

When Earl Flippo saw his 50-foot Viking yacht Saturday, it was docked at the ritzy Twelve Oaks Marina in Palm Beach Gardens.

But when the 68-year-old Palm Beach Gardens man saw the yacht Monday, the Coast Guard had just plucked a naked, unconscious 26-year-old West Palm Beach man off of it as it floated 5 miles off the Fort Pierce coastline.

Travis Tomasello "was found passed out, in the nude, on the tuna tower of a drifting yacht," according to a St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office report. A tuna tower is a crow's-nest used for spotting fish.

Tomasello also had a Winchester 12-gauge shotgun, which belonged to the boat's owner, and 18 methadone pills, another report said. He told sheriff's investigators a friend picked him up in the yacht Sunday in the Riviera Beach Inlet to "go party," the report continues.

Investigators placed Tomasello in handcuffs and a life vest.

The yacht's value is listed as $350,000 in a sheriff's office report. Flippo, the owner, could not be reached for comment Tuesday.

Tomasello remained at the St. Lucie County jail Tuesday on charges of first-degree grand theft, possession of a firearm by a felon and possession of a controlled substance without a prescription. His bail was set at $70,000.

He has been arrested 30 times since 1995, state records show, primarily on drug charges.

[Tommy]

Let me be sure I have this straight: he's been arrested 30 times since'95, but he's free to roam about society to do whatever he chooses to whomever he chooses. I'm still trying to figure out the connection between being in the tower, being nude, and having a shotgun. Is this a great country or what!!

Tommy

[Bruce]

One of the side effects of Methadone addiction is increased sweating. Most likely he removed his clothes trying to get cool.

My guess is Earl will be missing all his plates as they were probably skeet shooting from the tower.

Its too bad. This older Viking SF was in mint condition. Earl is a really nice guy.

Hope they didn't really mess it up but I'm sure I'll find out soon enough.

[AndreF]

Some of Earl's cousins live in Louisiana, I've seen them. In fact, I think one of them stole my Whaler.