1 Man Dies After Boat Capsizes Near Misener Bridge

ST. PETERSBURG. FL -- Pinellas County Sheriff's Marine Unit deputies are conducting a death investigation after two men capsized in a fishing boat near the Dick Misener Bridge in St. Petersburg at 9:44 a.m. Tuesday. Sept. 25.

Marine Unit deputies received a 911 call from a bicyclist riding over the Dick Misener Bridge who noticed a capsized vessel just east of the bridge. Paramedics with St. Petersburg Fire Rescue were first to arrive on scene in their rescue boat and located 62-year-old Stephen Smith of St. Petersburg clinging to the rear of a capsized 15-foot Gheenoe fishing boat.

Smith told paramedics his friend, 59-year-old Robert Kleinman of St. Petersburg, had floated away from the vessel.

Paramedics found Kleinman in the water nearby being assisted by an unidentified boater. Paramedics transported Kleinman to Bayfront Health St. Petersburg with life-threatening injuries. He died at 10:42 a.m. Deputies learned Kleinman had a pre-existing medical condition that may have contributed to his death.

Smith was not injured.

Eckerd College Search and Rescue assisted deputies during the water rescue and recovered the capsized vessel.

Through the course of the investigation, deputies learned that Smith and Kleinman were fishing near the Dick Misener Bridge in the fishing boat when they were struck by a series of large wakes made by passing vessels.

Their boat started filling with water and capsized. Smith told deputies he and Kleinman were in the water trying to right the vessel for approximately 30 minutes when the two men were struck by another passing boat wake. Kleinman got separated from the boat and floated away.

Image via Pinellas Sheriff

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