A boater from Florida was arrested for trying to murder his wife while fishing after a fishing line broke, causing a violent outburst that nearly killed her.
On Sunday, sixty-year-old Douglas Naeher brought his wife, who will not be named, fishing thirty-three miles off the coast of Bean Point. The trip swiftly became a nightmare as a disagreement turned physical, according to the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office.
The Fishing Trip Gone Wrong
According to the victim, Naeher became very angry after his fishing line broke while the couple was casting off from a 30-foot Sterling boat. When they first left their Holmes Beach house, she said her husband was tense and angry.
According to reports, the victim reacted to her husband’s rage by jumping into the ocean. She tried to be safe while floating in the ocean with a pool noodle and a rope attached to the boat.
A Brutal Attack
But Naeher untied the rope, sped away, and it appeared that he left his wife in the midst of the sea. He went back to get her after spotting another boat in the distance. Naeher allegedly repeatedly hit her in the head when she re-boarded, then stamped on her head as she fell to the deck.
The victim claimed that she acted dead out of fear for her life, but the onslaught continued. I’m going to murder you, Naeher allegedly yelled as he throttled her neck and dipped her head in the water after dragging her by the hair to the back of the boat, where he tried to drown and choke her.
The Victim s Struggle for Survival
Naeher ran from the sight, believing he had abandoned her to perish in the deep water. However, the victim resisted death. As she fought for air, she clasped her feet around a ladder at the back of the boat and let herself be pulled.
She eventually succeeded in getting back on the boat when Naeher abruptly stopped. But when the abusive husband saw she was still alive, he kicked and struck her once more before tossing her over the side a second time.
She moored herself by the ankle to prevent herself from drifting away, clinging to a rope attached to the boat. As Naeher headed back to shore, she managed to hold on despite her injuries.
Escaping and Seeking Help
Unaware that his abused wife had been pulled the entire distance, Naeher docked the boat when he returned to Holmes Beach. Finally pulling herself on one more time, the victim fled to the Holmes Beach Police Department for assistance as soon as the boat docked.
She was transported right away to Blake Hospital, where she received treatment for serious wounds, such as a swollen eye, many contusions, arm and neck bruises, and a severe concussion.
The Arrest and Charges
Naeher was taken into custody on Monday and accused of attempting first-degree murder. The savage attack is still being investigated by the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office.
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