Madeira Beach, FL – Deputies with the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office Marine Unit and Major Accident Investigation Team are investigating a jet ski crash that injured two children Sunday afternoon off Madeira Beach.
According to the sheriff’s office, the crash occurred around 2:33 p.m. on October 12, 2025, near Johns Pass. Investigators said 48-year-old Daniel Patrick Grubert, visiting from New York, was operating a rented 2024 Yamaha WaveRunner when he allegedly raced another jet ski and took his eyes off the water ahead. Grubert reportedly turned back too late, jumped off, and his jet ski collided with another WaveRunner operated by 45-year-old Walter Wodzien, who had two juvenile passengers onboard.
According to investigators, both children — ages 7 and 8 — were ejected into the water. Madeira Beach Fire Department crews rescued them and transported them to a local hospital. One child suffered life-threatening injuries, and the other sustained non-life-threatening injuries. Wodzien was not injured.
Deputies said Grubert showed signs of impairment and performed poorly on field sobriety tests. He was arrested and charged with two counts of Boating Under the Influence (BUI) Causing Serious Bodily Injury and one count of Reckless Operation of a Vessel. Grubert was booked into the Pinellas County Jail.
The investigation remains ongoing.
