Federal authorities arrested a Fort Myers man on Tuesday morning in Everglades National Park after a 26-foot boat stolen from the Florida Keys was found beached along the shoreline.
Dustin Southwick, 32, was taken into custody around 11 a.m. on Aug. 4 and charged with grand theft. He was originally reported missing.
The U.S. Park Service and the U.S. Coast Guard had been searching for the vessel, an Edgewater model, which was reported stolen three days earlier. The search ended when a good Samaritan spotted Southwick on the shoreline and notified park officials.
According to officials, Southwick stated that the boat ran out of fuel, forcing him to beach it. He told authorities he survived on crackers, water, and electrolyte drinks while stranded. No life-threatening injuries were reported.
The incident began on Saturday, Aug. 1, when the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office issued an arrest warrant for Southwick. The boat’s owner reported it stolen at approximately 7:30 a.m. from a residential dock on 85th Street in Marathon. The victim told deputies he knew Southwick and that the boat was taken without his permission.
The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office and federal law enforcement stated the investigation is ongoing, and additional charges may be pending.
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