COCOA BEACH, Fla. – The fight over who owns the life-saving life rings on Cocoa Beach headed to a courtroom Friday.
The rotary club sued Drown Zero, arguing the non-profit stole its equipment and donations.
Drown Zero contends it started the rescue stations.
The spat is playing out in court as swimmers at the beach without lifeguards still don’t have the rings to grab if they need them.
“It’s terrible. It’s absolutely a tragedy,” the rotary club’s attorney, Aaron Thalwitzer, said.
Attorneys on both sides blamed each other for how a couple dozen rings, which used to be in position to save lives, have now been in storage for more than a week.
“The greed of the Rotary Club has taken over,” Drown Zero vice president and attorney Scott Widerman said.
The rotary club said its lawsuit aims to get the ring stations back on the beach, but that’s not looking likely anytime soon.
The attorneys told your Cocoa Beach Community Correspondent James Sparvero they didn’t have enough time Friday to call all their witnesses.
A board member of the rotary club who took the stand said while former lifeguard chief Wyatt Wernath of Drown Zero had the idea for the life rings, it was the rotary club who rolled them out and maintained them.
Meanwhile, at South Fourth Street, where two people drowned last month, a visitor said he’d like to see them back.
“I mean, I heard there was an accident, so be more cautious about it,” Bogdan Dumitiu said.
Thalwitzer said he agrees with anyone who feels the dispute is unnecessarily creating a public safety hazard.
“Completely agree, but when the stations are taken away, that’s what the courts are for,” he said.
Sparvero asked Widerman why not put them back while this lawsuit plays out so the public can benefit.
He said he’d love to but can’t.
“I’ve written, personally, to the attorney for the city of Cocoa Beach asking if we can have permission during this to do so. I have not received anything back,” Widerman said.
Cocoa Beach’s mayor Keith Capizzi told Sparvero the life rings have nothing to do with the city government, only the rotary club and Drown Zero.
Stick with News 6 and ClickOrlando.com to find out when they have another hearing, and if then, the rings could be back on the beach.