Ruskin, Florida -- A charter boat that rammed into a Ruskin restaurant in thick fog on Monday has now been removed from the building. It's been a 2-day process to get the 39-foot powerboat out of the Sunset Grill at Little Harbor.
"This is one of the most bizarre thing I've seen," says Sunset Grill chef Will Rinaldi.
Rinaldi and staff are working to clean up this mess now that the boat is out of their building. They're counting their blessings this crash wasn't deadly.
"The banquet manager, her office is directly there. She thankfully took the day off. I think she might be moving her desk now so her back won't be to the water on another foggy day," says Rinaldi.
After the crane removed the boat, it has very little damage. That's not the case for the building. Crews are boarding up the gaping hole and removing part of the roof, so it doesn't collapse. Workers tell me it looks like structural integrity of the restaurant is intact.
10 News reached out to the boat's captain, Matt Santiago, who says he doesn't want to comment on the crash. He's been cited by investigators for reckless operation, going too fast in the fog.
"The fine could be up to $1,000. Is that enough? Talk to the owner of this restaurant and people who don't have jobs, it may not be enough to them," says witness Jackie Schafer.
"I know he knows the waters really well, but with that fog, I couldn't even see the end of the dock, so it was really bad," says Rinaldi.
The boat's owner, Jeff Willis, was also onboard along with Santiago and 5 others when the boat missed the channel markers and emerged from the fog. Friends tell 10 News that Willis had been looking down at the GPS when the boat rammed into the restaurant. Willis tells 10 News he doesn't want to comment on the crash, either.
Workers are trying to keep their spirits up knowing this could have been tragic.
"At the end of the day, it's not a drive-through. Park your boat at the end of the pier and walk over," says Rinaldi.
Workers wonder if the marina put lights on the channel markers, if that would prevent this type of crash from happening again.
The restaurant is still without power and must undergo several inspections. The owner hopes to reopen at least the tiki bar area by Friday.
