Man Charged with Assaulting Coast Guard Officers Arraigned in Key West

A Monroe County resident is charged with assaulting United States Coast Guard officers.

Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and Rear Admiral Scott A. Buschman, Commander of the United States Coast Guard 7th District, made the announcement. 

Daniel Michael Szabo, 40, of Monroe County, Florida, was arraigned yesterday on a federal indictment charging him with assault on United States Coast Guard officers, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 111, and other offenses. 

According to court records, on August 21, 2015, Szabo was on his boat, threatening to commit suicide, when United States Coast Guard officers arrived on scene.  After Coast Guard personnel attempted to board Szabo’s vessel, the defendant fled and in the process pulled out a handgun and fired approximately six rounds (shots) at the Coast Guard vessel.  Following a thirty minute pursuit, Szabo turned his boat towards and struck the Coast Guard vessel, before being apprehended.

Mr. Ferrer commended the efforts of the U.S. Coast Guard.  The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy McCall.

An indictment is only an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.