PSTA Approves $300 Million Settlement for Jeff Knight Following Fatal Ferry Collision
CLEARWATER — The Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority voted Wednesday to approve a $300 million settlement for local businessman Jeff Knight, concluding that after months of criminal charges, civil lawsuits, and relentless media attention, the businessman has simply been through enough.
“We’ve heard enough about the people on the ferry,” said Graham Whitmore, Deputy Director of Civic Reassurance. “At some point you have to ask yourself who’s really suffering here.”
According to officials, the settlement covers legal expenses, reputational damage, emotional trauma, and the toll of having an otherwise unforgettable day on the water derailed by a ferry that, officials acknowledged, “really should have moved out of the way.”
PSTA officials said they briefly considered directing additional money toward the ferry passengers before determining they had “already received their 15 minutes of fame.”
The agreement also sets aside funding for a commemorative plaque recognizing Knight’s perseverance during what officials described as “one of the most difficult accountability experiences ever endured by a successful businessman.”
Officials emphasized that the payment is not an admission of wrongdoing by the transit agency, but rather “an investment in healing.”
“Everyone deserves closure,” Whitmore said. “Some people just deserve more of it.”
