SARASOTA, Florida — A father got a hard lesson in Florida water laws after police found his 8-year-old son riding a Jet Ski alone in the open ocean.
The Sarasota Police Department’s Marine Patrol Unit was out on the water on June 14 near Lido Key on the Gulf Coast when officers spotted something that immediately caught their attention.
A young boy. Alone. On a Jet Ski. Surrounded by rough currents and other vessels nearby.
Officers Approached the Boy First
Officers pulled up alongside the child and asked where his parents were.
The boy pointed toward his dad, who was out on the water nearby.
Police followed the boy over and confronted the father directly.
“That’s your son on the Jet Ski?” an officer asked. “What’s going on with that?”
The dad knew right away he was in trouble.
“Yeah, I’m sorry,” he told officers. “I really don’t think he’s legal to ride, right? But we’ve had Jet Skis on the lake for the last few years and he’s very proficient.”
Officers confirmed the boy was 8 years old.
It Was Not Legal — Not Even Close
Under Florida law, a person must be at least 14 years old to operate a personal watercraft.
An 8-year-old riding alone in ocean waters with rough currents and boat traffic nearby was a serious safety violation — not just a technicality.
The father was charged with a second-degree misdemeanor and will be required to appear in court.
The Sarasota Police Department shared body camera footage of the encounter on its official social media pages.
No injuries were reported, and no further details were immediately released.
Did this dad go too far, or do you think he was just being a confident parent? Tell us what you think in the comments.
