A suspected drunk boater took a high-speed snooze straight through Washington's Puget Sound, barreling past filming spectators while racing towards a ferry boat before making a final violent collision.
The unidentified 21-year-old man was spotted by bystanders on May 1 after 5pm allegedly passed out at the helm an hour south of Seattle. In footage of the wreck, the man sped toward two ferries banked in the Steilacoom Ferry Dock, reported Oregon Live. With no control over his vessel, he drove at top speeds, narrowly missing each massive boat he passed.
Bystanders could be heard calling the police for help and expressing their concern as the suspected drunk driver fled by. 'Captain, he is passed out behind the wheel. He is passed out behind the wheel,' one voice can be heard saying as the man zoomed toward the shore.
The incoherent captain eventually collided with the rocks on the edge of the marina, ending up almost vertical as it came to a stop. The driver was thrown from his seat into the water on impact. Video footage captured a Washington man racing toward a sitting ferry. Police pulled the boat from the water and reported finding multiple bottles of alcohol inside.
The boater managed to climb up onto the rocks moments later, leaving the accident largely unscathed. He was the only person on board, reported the News Tribune. West Pierce Fire and Rescue, Steilacoom Public Safety and the Pierce County Sheriff's Office responded to the incident.
In a statement to the Daily Mail, Pierce County Sheriff's Deputy Carly Cappetto said that, upon arriving at the scene, there was 'reasonable suspicion of DUI.' Alcohol bottles could be seen littered throughout the boat, and the man smelled of intoxicants,' she said. The suspect was taken into custody for boating under the influence.
The boat was pulled from the water with a flatbed tow and a large wrecker before it was impounded, reported KOMO. 'This incident serves as an important reminder not to drink and boat as our 2026 boating season has just opened,' Cappetto said. 'This operator is very lucky that no one was hurt and that he didn't die.'
The driver narrowly missed the other vessel and slammed into rocks on the side of the marina. At least one scheduled Ferry at the Steilacoom Ferry Dock was delayed as a result of the collision. According to Connor Davis, a representative for Pierce County, the incident sparked delays in ferry service. 'Subsequent sailings had minimal delays, and they were caught up to the normal schedule within a few runs,' Davis said.
As of May 5, the man was not named by the Sheriff's Office because he has not been formally charged. Toxicology reports are pending. The Daily Mail contacted the West Pierce Fire and Rescue, Steilacoom Public Safety and the Pierce County Sheriff's Office for comment.
