INDIAN RIVER COUNTY, Fla. — A "drunken boater" is accused of concocting an elaborate story to expedite assistance after he simply ran out of fuel, according to deputies.
The Indian River County Sheriff's Office said the boater, identified as Dereck Howard of Vero Beach, was arrested Monday.
According to a post on the agency's Facebook page, deputies responded to the Blue Cypress Lake area after receiving a distress call from a boater claiming involvement in an airboat accident.
Investigators said the caller reported that he had flipped his vessel, was injured and that his passenger was missing.
The sheriff's office said they mobilized a large rescue effort that included deputies, fire rescue, their marine unit, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and a U.S. Coast Guard Blackhawk helicopter that was dispatched from Florida's west coast.
When they located Howard, they said it was quickly determined that "there was no crash, no missing passenger and no injuries."
They said Howard had run out of gas and fabricated the story to get help quicker.
Howard faces charges for misuse of 911 and filing a false report to law enforcement.
"This incident is a reminder of the importance of responsible reporting to ensure emergency services remain available for true emergencies," the sheriff's office said.
