Most of these guys do more than just crab fish. For most of them that is just a portion of their year.
Either way, losing a parent at a relatively young age does strange things to people. I'm sure he is going through a very difficult time in his life. You can only hope that he will be able to get his life back together. The missed court date isn't a huge deal as long as he gets it addressed relatively fast. I wish him and the rest of the family the best.