Ohio boater convicted of fatally striking Naples swimmer sentenced to more than 9 years

Tomas Rodriguez, Naples Daily News
Updated ·2 min read
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An Ohio boater convicted of vessel homicide in the 2020 death of a Naples swimmer has been sentenced to nearly a decade in prison.

Collier Circuit Judge Elizabeth Krier sentenced James Allen, 78, on Thursday.

A jury on Feb. 2 found Allen, from Kirtland, Ohio, guilty of vessel homicide and violation of vessel regulations after a two-day trial before Krier.

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He was exonerated of a third count accusing him of leaving the scene of a vessel accident involving injury.

Allen was on a boat about 3:30 p.m. March 5, 2020, when he struck a swimmer and fled, according to a Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission arrest report.

The swimmer, identified as 57-year-old Onofrio Sozio, of Naples, died from his injuries, according to the affidavit.

Beach patrol at Vanderbilt Road Public Beach, in North Naples, thought they saw a swimmer in distress about 40 yards from the shore.

Responding deputies also received a picture of Sozio in the water with the boat around him and other swimmers.

First responders took Sozio to Naples Community Hospital as a trauma patient and then airlifted him to Lee Memorial Hospital, in Fort Myers, where he died, according to the report.

Allen was operating the boat with his brother when he struck Sozio near a red buoy, which identifies the edge of the swimming area.

Allen threw a personal floating device at Sozio and turned around, according to the affidavit.

Approximately 20 minutes after the crash, Collier County deputies located Allen at the Cocohatchee boat ramp at Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park.

During their investigation, deputies found human remains attached to the lower end of one of the motors. Allen was arrested on scene.

Tomas Rodriguez is a Breaking/Live News Reporter for the Naples Daily News and The News-Press. You can reach Tomas at TRodriguez@gannett.com or 772-333-5501. Connect with him on Twitter @TomasFRoBeltran, Instagram @tomasfrobeltran and Facebook @tomasrodrigueznews.

This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: Ohio boater sentenced for 2020 Naples swimmer death