Drunk, Coked-Up, Gun-Toting Charter Boat Captain Held Tour Group Captive for 12 Hours, Reportedly

Sarasota (WTFF) – A group of family and friends trying to go on a relaxing 12-hour charter boat fishing tour of the Gulf were instead given the Florida Man tour, according to court documents and news sources.

The captain, 36-year-old Mark Alexander Bailey, was arrested after police say he “was refusing to bring the passengers back to shore and had fired off rounds from a handgun,” as the arrest affidavit states.

On June 2, officers of the Sarasota Police Department were dispatched to the docks at 2 Marina Plaza to await the “Double Marker” charter boat’s return.

The U.S. Coast Guard was also searching for the boat.

Bailey eventually showed up and backed his boat into the docks where he was greeted by police who arrested him.

His first mate, Devin Kissell, told police that “he was unsure how many beers Bailey had on the ride in.”

One of the passengers said Bailey was “drinking multiple beers to the point of being intoxicated.”

Bailey was also reportedly snorting cocaine.

Another passenger said that Bailey got into an argument with someone from their group, which ended with Bailey “drinking more beer while operating the boat.”

The captain was “drinking rum from the bottle” according to the report.

Bailey had “watery bloodshot eyes and slurred speech” while talking to the cops. His breath reeked of alcohol, police say.

Bailey allegedly kicked the police cruiser door while being detained, earning him a resisting arrest without violence charge in addition to the boating under influence misdemeanor.

He bonded out the same day for $620 cash, and awaits a trial on the 24th.

Bailey was born in London, England and works as a fisherman, according to the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office.

Additional details reported by corporate news stations:

While the arrest affidavit doesn’t mention these details at all, WFLA reported:

“After the passengers pleaded to go home, the captain reportedly continued drinking, took out a 9mm handgun and fired 6-7 shots in the air.”

GateHouse Media publication Panama City News Herald also reported on details never mentioned in the original charging affidavit. They claim that one of the passengers asked his 15-year-old son to bring him a beer. They say the captain told the kid to put the beer back, but the kid took it anyway. That’s when the captain reportedly “followed the boy down the ladder and grabbed him by a chain necklace he was wearing, breaking it.”

Neither station provided citations for these claims.