DESTIN, Fla. (WKRG) — A Santa Rosa Beach man is in jail for multiple charges following a deadly kayak incident in Destin Harbor.
Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office arrested Hans Erik Junghann for trespassing and larceny on Monday, Feb. 13.
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission confirmed Junghann was the man with 32-year-old Bethany Grace Newman on Feb. 11, the night she went missing. Officials found Newman’s body in the harbor Sunday morning, Feb. 12.
Junghann told FWC that he and Newman went kayaking after dark around 6:15 pm on Feb. 11. Junghann said a large boat came through and the kayak overturned in its wave. Junghann said he made it to safety on pylons behind Harbor Docks restaurant and could not find Newman.
EMS took Junghann to a local hospital for injuries before he was booked into Okaloosa County jail on the morning of Feb. 13.
The Destin Harbor is a no-wake zone. FWC is investigating the incident.
Junghann is being held in the Okaloosa County Jail without bond. Additional charges were placed on Junghann on Feb. 15 and Feb. 16 including possession of a controlled substance without a prescription, possession, and use of a stolen credit or debit card, and failure to appear.
Junghann has been booked into Okaloosa County Jail 15 times starting in 2003.
