A federal grand jury has indicted Daniel Gavin Couch, 52, on a charge of seaman’s manslaughter. According to the indictment, Couch was employed as a captain by Lighthouse Parasail, Inc. in Monroe County, Florida. He operated the commercial parasailing vessel M/V AIRBORNE for the company. The vessel is regulated by the U.S. Coast Guard and primarily used for parasailing charters.
The indictment alleges that on May 30, 2022, Couch engaged in misconduct, negligence, or inattention to his duties as captain, resulting in the death of a passenger.
If convicted of seaman’s manslaughter, Couch could face up to ten years in federal prison.
“U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge Josh W. Packer of the Coast Guard Investigative Service (CGIS) Southeast Field Office made the announcement.”
The investigation was conducted by CGIS Southeast Field Office with assistance from U.S. Coast Guard Marine Safety Detachment Lake Worth and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Office of Law Enforcement.
“Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller and Coast Guard Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Tanner Stiehl are prosecuting the case.”
The announcement notes that an indictment contains only allegations and that “a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.”
Court documents related to this case can be accessed through the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or via http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 24-CR-10036.
