A night of chaos unfolded at Bahia Mar Yachting Center in Fort Lauderdale after a man allegedly drove a boat while intoxicated and slammed into other vessels, leaving shattered glass, a damaged hull, and a marina full of shaken witnesses. Fort Lauderdale police arrested Michael Binder in connection with the crash, according to authorities.
Police received calls about a drunk boater before officers from the Fort Lauderdale Police Department and officials with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission responded to the marina, according to WSVN 7News. Witnesses told the station they contacted 911 and recorded the incident as it unfolded, with one bystander even pointing a firearm at the boat driver during the chaos.
Binder’s boat was left with shattered glass, tumblers, a cooler, and missing chunks of fiberglass, the station reported. One witness recalled the tension escalating in real time, with another bystander shouting, “He’s gonna hit him again!” as the boat kept moving through the crowded marina.
Cleanup Stretched Into the Night
Owners of the damaged boats and others who stayed behind at the scene spent several hours helping clean up the mess, per the same account. Another witness captured the shock of the moment, exclaiming, “Oh my god, no way!” As of late Sunday, the exact number of boats damaged in the crash remained unclear…