Florida deputy leaps onto unmanned runaway boat in Tampa Bay

PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — This Florida deputy is quite a daredevil.

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In a video posted by the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office, a deputy jumped on a runaway boat traveling more than 40 mph on Tampa Bay and was able to stop the vessel, WTSP-TV reported.

Deputies Travis Fernandes and Jillian Constant, who are members of the sheriff’s office Marine and Environmental Lands Unit, were called to assist the U.S. Coast Guard on Sunday, according to WFLA-TV.

According to the sheriff’s office, the man driving the boat had fallen into the bay, WTSP reported. He was rescued, but the boat was still plowing ahead in the waters of Tampa Bay, two miles east of St. Petersburg, the Miami Herald reported.

According to the sheriff’s office, the man driving the boat had fallen into the bay, WTSP reported. He was rescued, but the boat was still plowing ahead in the waters of Tampa Bay.

Coast Guard officials attempted to intercept the vehicle but were unsuccessful.

That is when Fernandes and Constant sprang into action.

Constant steered the sheriff’s office boat and caught up to the empty vessel, which was motoring at 41 mph, WFLA reported.

As Constant pulled the boat closer, Fernandes safely jumped onto the other vessel and was able to bring it under control, the sheriff’s office said. Deputies then tied the boat to their vessel and towed it back to shore, according to WTSP.

In its video, the sheriff’s office documented the daring maneuver, set to Van Halen’s December 1983 hit, “Jump.”

“Yes, Deputy Fernandes does his own stunts,” the sheriff’s office said.