Vessel Owners File Petition to Limit Liability Following Islamorada Boat Collision That Injured Multiple People
Milo Maturi and Jordan Adams, the owners of a 1984 23-foot Mako Marine boat, have filed a maritime petition in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, Key West Division, seeking exoneration from or limitation of liability under the federal Shipowners’ Limitation of Liability Act. The petition, filed under Case No. 4:25-cv-10094, arises from a July 13, 2025 boat collision near Islamorada, Florida, that injured several individuals aboard two recreational vessels.
Petition Seeks to Limit Boat Owners’ Liability to $4,500 After Collision in the Atlantic Ocean Near Islamorada
According to the filing, the incident occurred at approximately 5:53 p.m. when the Mako Marine vessel—operated by Adams and carrying two passengers—was struck by a 1997 28-foot Pursuit boat operated by Jeffrey Rindom. The collision happened on the navigable waters of the Atlantic Ocean while both vessels were engaged in recreational use. Maturi is the registered owner of the Mako, while Adams is named as “owner pro hac vice,” having control and operational responsibility during the voyage.
The petition asserts that none of the passengers aboard the Mako were paying customers, and therefore the vessel does not qualify as a “small passenger vessel” under maritime law. The owners argue that the collision was not caused by any fault or negligence on their part, and that the vessel was properly manned, maintained, and seaworthy at the time of the incident.
Boat Owners File for Limitation of Liability Under Federal Maritime Law
The action is brought pursuant to the Limitation of Liability Act, codified at 46 U.S.C. § 30501 et seq., which allows vessel owners to limit financial liability for maritime accidents to the post-incident value of the vessel—provided they lacked “privity or knowledge” of the negligence that caused the accident.
The post-casualty value of the Mako vessel is alleged to be no more than $4,500, and the petitioners submitted a Letter of Undertaking from their insurer, Geico Marine, as security for this amount plus interest. The boat was deemed a constructive total loss after the incident by the insurer’s surveyor.
Petition Names Four Potential Claimants Injured in Boat Collision
The filing identifies four potential claimants with possible injury or property claims arising from the collision:
- Jeffrey Rindom (operator of the other vessel)
- Zane Rindom (passenger)
- Caitlyn Catterson (passenger aboard the Mako)
- Mary Linda Griffin (passenger aboard the Mako)
The petition is being filed within the statutory six-month window following notice of potential claims, as required under Supplemental Admiralty Rule F.
Owners Deny Negligence and Seek Court Protection from Future Claims
The petitioners deny any fault in connection with the crash and assert that they exercised reasonable care and diligence in the ownership and operation of the vessel. Alternatively, they argue that if any negligence is found, it occurred without their privity or knowledge, which would entitle them to limit liability under maritime law.
They request the court to issue:
- An injunction halting all current or future lawsuits related to the incident
- A monition requiring all potential claimants to file their claims in the limitation action
- A judgment exonerating them from all liability, or limiting liability to the vessel’s $4,500 post-incident value
Maritime Limitation Actions Offer Strategic Defense in Florida Boating Accidents
Petitions like this are commonly filed in South Florida following serious boating collisions, allowing vessel owners to centralize claims in federal court and seek protection under specialized maritime law. If successful, the owners’ liability could be capped at a fraction of the damages alleged by injury claimants.
Disclaimer: Our firm does not represent the petitioners in this case and is not involved in the litigation. The information provided is a summary of allegations based on publicly available court filings. We make no representations about the truth of these allegations, are not commenting on the merits of the case, and are not predicting any outcome.
