On 9/3/12, at approximately 17:30 hrs, a boat accident occurred.  The vessel was a 24 ft princecraft pontoon with a 90 hp evinrude.  The pontoon was owned and operated by subject.  Her husband was lying asleep on the back seat located behind the starboard side console.  The operator was inattentive while operating the pontoon.  The pontoon collided with a pontoon secured out of the water on a lift and dock. 

Operator and occupant were in their pontoon boat returning from near the highway321 bridge.  They departed and traveled east toward lakeside marina.  Their pontoon was stored and docked in a boat slip at lakeside marina.  Operator was operating the vessel.  Occupant was asleep in the back seat of the pontoon with his head lying on the port side.  It started raining and operator noticed cell phone, purse, food and clothes getting rained on.  They were lying on the deck left of her.  She leaned over to stow away the items while still cruising.  Operator was inattentive to the pontoon's direction of travel.  The pontoon veered left toward the pontoon lift and dock.  The right front pontoon of the vessel impacted with the secured pontoon on the lift.  The lift's wooden pylons pushed against the adjoining covered boat dock roof and structure.  The collision caused damage to the edge of the roof, structure and wooden column of the dock.  Upon collision, occupant fell from his sleeping position to the deck of the pontoon.  Operator fell forward toward the console.  No injuries were reported. 

subject witnessed the incident.  His dock is the next dock west.  Witness was at his boat dock doing some maintenance and observed the collision.  He advised he heard a boat come near his dock.  He looked up and observed it pass by.  Within a few seconds, it collided into the lift and dock.  He advised operator was operating the vessel but appeared to be leaned over as if sleeping. occupant was in the back area of the vessel.  He advised occupant was not seen in the pontoon till it collided.  Witness went over to see if everyone on board was uninjured.  Occupant left their contact information with him to give to the owner of the property.  

In conclusion, the accident occurred by the operator taking her attention from the direction the pontoon was traveling.  Most important, no one was physically injured or killed as a result of the collision.  The damage to boat and lift and dock was covered under occupant's homeowners insurance at $23,000.00.  The damage to operator's pontoon was estimated by him at $1500.00 which consisted of two rips approximately 6 inches on the outer right side of the right pontoon and front right railing damage.  He advised that he would repair it himself.  No other damage was reported.  Operator will be charged with careless and negligent operation of a motorboat in alexander county district court.

HICKORY                       