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Watch Florida deputies borrow a boat to catch alleged jet ski thief

By Lauren Silver, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

Florida deputies borrowed a boat to catch alleged jet ski thief Ronald Williams booking photo. (Volusia County Jail)

By Lauren Silver, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. — Deputies on Florida’s east coast had to borrow a boat to track down a thief.

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The Volusia County Sheriff’s Office shared video to its Facebook page showing its deputies approaching a boater, asking for help to catch someone accused of stealing a Jet Ski and taking it onto the river.

Jet ski theft attempt: 6/5/22

Just want to say THANK YOU to an Ormond Beach family who let our deputies interrupt their Sunday afternoon to apprehend a suspect on a stolen jet ski. Around 12:30 p.m., deputies responded to assist the Ormond Beach Police Department on a report of an in-progress theft of a jet ski. The suspect (Ronald Williams, DOB 3/4/1974) had been unable to get the watercraft started, but decided to float away on it anyway. Nearby, a family was about to head out on the water for the afternoon, but instead they allowed deputies to take their boat over to the suspect, who was still floating in the Intracoastal Waterway trying to get the jet ski started. Williams was taken into custody without incident and the jet ski was returned to its owner. We really appreciate the help from our residents!

Posted by Volusia Sheriff's Office on Monday, June 6, 2022

Ronald Williams, 48, is accused of taking the Jet Ski on Sunday afternoon, and floated away on it after he couldn’t get it started, WFTS reported.

Deputies approached a family about to head out on the water in Ormond Beach, asking for help. The family volunteered their boat to the officers, who boarded it and took off to find Williams.

Video the sheriff’s office posted to Facebook shows that as the deputies approached Williams, they asked him to swim to them. Williams can be heard shouting back, “I don’t know how to swim.” A deputy shouts back, “So you’re gonna take a Jet Ski and you don’t know how to swim?”

Deputies then used rope to tether the Jet Ski to the boat and brought both vessels and Williams back to shore.

Ronald Williams is charged with grand theft of a motor vehicle and trespassing, according to court records.

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