JACKSONVILLE BEACH, Fla. — The man whose boat has been stranded on Jacksonville Beach for over two months is speaking out about the warrants out for his arrest.
Luke Rehberg said he lost his job and simply waited too long to take care of citations issued by law enforcement related to the vessel.
He’s apologetic about the Aquilon still being on the beach and wants to see it gone.
The water’s been rough for Rehberg ever since his boat's engine failed and it ended up stuck on Jacksonville beach in October.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission gave him a deadline of Nov. 16 to remove it from the shores, but his GoFundME raised only half of what was needed to have it towed.
"When Sea Tow and the Coast Guard did not help,” Rehberg said. “I knew that it was going to be a bad, bad long ordeal."
FWC left a notice on the boat, saying it would be towed at the owner's expense after 21 days, but it's still there.
We asked the agency why it hadn’t been yet, but they're closed for the holidays.
Rehberg was arrested on Dec. 13 for abandoning a derelict boat and then released on bond.
Now two warrants are out for his arrest for failing to transfer the vessel's title and expired registration.
"I do not have the paperwork or the phone number from man I bought the boat from anymore,” Rehberg said. “It was destroyed in the wreck. And I don't even know how to get a title for that boat. It's not in my name."
Rehberg had also planned to live in his other boat but said it's not possible because costly repairs are needed.
"It's heartbreaking, but I have accepted somewhere around week two on the sand that the boat was dying as a result of this," Rehberg said.
He said he's still going to make Jacksonville Beach his home and his love for sailing has not changed despite the situation.
"The only thing that's changed is that I don't have a sailboat,” Rehberg said. “I'm looking for one."
Jacksonville Beach Mayor Christine Hoffman said FWC has hired a vendor to remove the boat.
He’ll take a look at the boat Monday morning to determine the equipment and permits needed for the job.
They think it will take about two days from start to finish and expect the job to be done by the end of next week.