On 07/23/11 at approx. 09:35am we were notified about an overturned boat in the Arkansas River just below Bigelow Park.  Upon arrival V1 was capsized on the west side of the Arkansas River below a jetty.  The owner was contacted and stated that her boat was tied up at a friend's house above Palarm Creek Landing and that someone must have stolen it or borrowed it without permission.  V1 was located several miles upstream from Palarm Creek Landing.  Officers recovered V1 and towed it to the closest boat ramp.  This officer then contacted the owner again in person and she then stated that her husband had wrecked V1 the night before and was at home in bed asleep.  I drove to the residence and interviewed the operator.  After he was given his Miranda rights he stated:  at approx. 7:00pm his wife, another occupant and himself launched V1 at Palarm Creek and drove a short distance upstream to a friend's house.  Several people boarded the friend's party barge and both boats went upstream to a sand bar where they played horseshoes and rode on the river for several hours.  Sometime around 1:00am everyone got on the party barge and went back downstream to the friend's house.  He boarded V1 by himself and drove it upstream.  He stated he had the navigational lights on and had a spot light onboard but was not using it.  He then stated somewhere below Bigelow Park he struck a red buoy on the starboard side of V1 towards the bow.  He then stopped to check for damage and decided to turn around and see what he hit.  When he turned around, and got under power he stated he then hit a jetty and started taking on water.  He then called his friend for help.  They tried to tow V1 but it continued sinking so he retrieved his personal belongings and abandoned V1.  They returned to the friend's house where he slept for the rest of the night.  He stated he didn’t know you were supposed to contact any law enforcement agency when you had a boating accident.  

V1's damage is consistent with the operator's statement.

**Officers suspect alcohol was involved since the failure to report but have no evidence and cannot prove.

BIGELOW                       