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Air Force apologizes to Derek Jeter over boating citation Facebook post

Posted at 8:36 AM, Jul 06, 2016
and last updated 2016-07-06 08:36:09-04

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) -- The U.S. Air Force has apologized to Derek Jeter after an active-duty member posted a photo on Facebook of a citation issued to the retired New York Yankee shortstop for boating in a restricted area near MacDill Air Force Base on the 4th of July.

Jeter, who lives on Tampa's Davis Islands, was stopped by Air Force security forces Monday and ticketed $250 plus a $30 processing fee.

The issue came to light because of the Facebook posting.

"This action is totally inconsistent with Air Force values and the responsible airman will face the appropriate disciplinary action," MacDill spokesman Terry Montrose said in a news release. "We sincerely apologize to Mr. Jeter for any inconvenience."

Montrose declined to identify the airman Tuesday and said he didn't know whether the airman played a role in issuing the citation.

The New York Daily News posted a screenshot of the Facebook post, which has since been deleted on the social media site. It had two photos, one showing the citation and another that showed someone on a boat. The caption said, "On behalf of the Boston Red Sox, here is your ticket Derek Jeter."

Jeter, who retired from Major League Baseball in 2014, owns a 30,000-square-foot mansion that is about 5 miles by water northeast of the MacDill boundary.

Signs posted some 1,000 meters from the shore warn boaters against entering the area. Montrose says it's common for security forces to issue citations to boaters. He says it's "really easy to drift into those waters."