ON AUGUST 29TH, 2009 AROUND 5:30 PM, MYSELF AND OFFICER RECEIVED A CALL FROM SGT. OF RECKLESS AND NEGLIGENT BOAT OPERATION AND POSSIBLE BUI IN THE COINJOCK ICW.  A FEW MINUTES LATER, WE RECEIVED ANOTHER CALL THAT A PERSON WAS INJURED ON THAT SAME VESSEL.  UNABLE TO RESPOND QUICKLY DUE TO OUR DISTANCE FROM COINJOCK, SUBJECTS HAD ALREADY LEFT THE SCENE.  AFTER CONTACTING A COUNTY DEPUTY THAT HAD BEEN ON THE SCENE, WE LEARNED THAT A MAN WAS STRUCK BY THE PROPELLER AND HAD BEEN AIR LIFTED TO NORFOLK REGIONAL HOSPITAL WITH SEVERE LEG LACERATIONS AND A BROKEN BONE ON ONE OF HIS LEGS.  I CONTACTED OPERATOR ON HIS CELL PHONE TO SEE IF HE WAS STILL IN THE AREA.  OPERATOR WAS ALREADY ON HIS WAY TO NORFOLK TO THE HOSPITAL.  THE NEXT DAY ON AUGUST 30TH, I CONTACTED AND INTERVIEWED OPERATOR.  OPERATOR SAID THAT THERE WERE FOUR PEOPLE ONBOARD THE BOAT.  HE SAID BEFORE THE ACCIDENT TOOK PLACE THEY ALL HAD EATEN AT THE COINJOCK RESTARAUNT, WHERE HE AND occupant HAD A FEW BEERS WITH THEIR MEAL, AND LATER HAD BEEN SWIMMING UP AND DOWN THE COINJOCK ICW.  THEY ENDED UP INFRONT OF COINJOCK MARINA WHEN THEY ALL GOT OUT OF THE WATER.  OCCUPANT WAS STANDING ON THE BACK LADDER/PLATFORM WHEN THE OPERATOR, OPERATOR, PUT THE BOAT IN GEAR AND TRAVELLED NORTH UP THE CANAL FOR ABOUT ONE HUNDRED YARDS.  OPERATOR AND OCCUPANT, WHO WAS NOT WEARING A PFD, HAD SLIPPED OFF THE PLATFORM AND THE PROPELLER STRUCK HIS RIGHT LEG.  HE WAS IMMEDIATELY RUSHED TO THE WILDLIFE ACCESS AREA APPROXIMATELY A QUARTER MILE UP THE CANAL WHERE EMS WAS STANDING BY.

A FEW DAYS LATER, I CONTACTED AN EMPLOYEE OF COINJOCK MARINA, WHO SAID HE HAD WITNESSED THE WHOLE EVENT.  WITNESS SAID THAT THEY HAD ALL BEEN SWIMMING IN THE CANAL, THROWING EACH OTHER OFF THE BOAT AND MESSING AROUND.  ALL HAD GOTTEN OUT OF THE WATER AND BACK ON THE BOAT, EXCEPT FOR OCCUPANT, WHO WAS HOLDING ONTO THE LADDER AT THE REAR PORT SIDE OF THE BOAT.  HE SAID THE OPERATOR TURNED THE WHEeL TO STARBOARD, SO THEAT THE OUTBOARD ENGINE TURNED AWAY FROM OCCUPANT, AND PUT THE BOAT IN FORWARD GEAR.  THIS CAUSED THE ENGINE AND REAR OF BOAT TO GO INTO OCCUPANT WHO WAS THEN STRUCK BY THE PROPELLER.  THE REST ON THE BOAT HELPED OCCUPANT GET IN AND TOOK OFF UP THE CANAL.

AFTER INTERVIEWING THE OPERATOR, AND SEVERAL WITNESSES, OPERATOR WAS CONTACTED AND WAS CHARGED WITH OPERATING A VESSEL IN RECKLESS AND NEGLIGENT MANNER AS TO ENDANGER LIFE, LIMB, OR PROPERTY.
COINJOCK                      