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The latest Quad Cities news, weather and sports from Local 4 WHBF on https://OurQuadCities.com.
Watch: 8-year-old found riding jet ski solo off Florida coast
By Katlyn Fernandez,
2026-06-30
SARASOTA, Fla. (WFLA) — A father will have to appear in court on a misdemeanor charge after police found his 8-year-old son riding a jet ski by himself near Lido Key earlier this month.
The Sarasota Police Department said its marine patrol unit stopped the boy on June 14.
“Where’s your parents?” an officer asked the boy.
In the body camera video posted to Facebook, the boy pointed toward where his parents were and brought officers over to his father.
When officers spoke to the boy’s father, who was not identified, he explained that he didn’t think his son was legally allowed to ride but claimed his son was “very proficient.”
“In the state of Florida, a person must be at least 14 years of age to operate a personal watercraft (PWC). It’s illegal to allow a person under 14 years of age to operate a personal watercraft and it’s a second-degree misdemeanor,” Sarasota police said.
Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHBF - OurQuadCities.com.
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