January 8, 2015 — Coast Guard crews are searching for an overdue Big Coppitt Key commercial fish dealer who pleaded guilty in an illegal spiny lobster harvesting case last month.
Dennis Dallmeyer, 67, was supposed to return to Stock Island by sunset Tuesday, said Coast Guard Lt. j.g. Max Franco. A Sea Tow crew first found his 25-foot Mako center console with the keys in the ignition after responding to a emergency Coast Guard broadcast late Tuesday night, adrift about eight miles south of Key West near navigational Marker 32, known colloquially as "Toppino," Franco said.
The Coast Guard began searching for cellphone pings in areas where Dallmeyer was known to fish. It then instructed Sea Tow to go a general area where it found recent cellphone activity, Franco said. He added that there was no direct distress call made by Dallmeyer from the boat.
Sea Tow found the Mako taking on water and did not see Dallmeyer, so they left the area, said company dispatcher Tanya Ross.
Dallmeyer was believed to be alone and out for a quick fishing trip, Franco said.
Read the full story from from the Key West Citizen