ON 7-25-2009 AROUND 8:15PM A BOAT OWNED AND OPERATED BY OWNER/OPERATOR 1 (O/O 1), SD RAN OVER THE TOP OF THE BOAT OWNED AND OPERATED BY O/O 2.  LUCKILY, NO ONE WAS INJURED OR KILLED IN THIS BOAT ACCIDENT.  THERE WERE TWO PEOPLE IN O/O 2'S BOAT PLUS ONE PERSON THEY WERE TOWING IN THE WATER.  THERE WERE AROUND 8 PEOPLE ONBOARD O/O 1 BOAT.  AFTER THE ACCIDENT, SEVERAL NEARBY BOATS PLUS O/O 1 BOAT WENT OVER TO THE O/O 2 BOAT TO SEE IF EVERYONE WAS OK?  SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE O/O 1 BOAT WENT TO SHORE AND DROVE THE BOAT ONTO A LIFT AND EVERYONE LEFT THE SCENE OF THIS ACCIDENT.  WILDLIFE CONSERVATION OFFICER 1 ARRIVED AT THE SCENE AROUND 9:30PM AND RECEIVED NO COOPERATION FROM PEOPLE OF THE O/O 1 PARTY.  THE OWNER AND OPERATOR  LEFT THE SCENE AND DROVE HOME  AFTER THE ACCIDENT.  WCO 1 BELIEVES O/O 1 LEFT QUICKLY AFTER THE ACCIDENT TO AVOID A BUI CITATION.  TWO HAMLIN COUNTY DEPUTY'S AND GF42, WCO 2, ASSISTED IN THE ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION THAT EVENING.  TWO PEOPLE WENT TO JAIL FOR DISORDERLY CONDUCT AND OBSTRUCTION OF A PEACE OFFICER.  BOTH BOATS WERE CONFISCATED AND TOWED TO WATERTOWN FOR ACCIDENT RECONSTRUCTION PURPOSES ETC.  THIS OFFICER BELIEVES THAT BOTH ALCOHOL AND RECKLESS OPERATION CAUSED THIS ACCIDENT.  WITNESSES SAY THAT A LARGE COOLER WAS QUICKLY REMOVED FROM THE O/O 1 BOAT AS SOON AS IT WAS BACK ON THE LIFT.
O/O 1 AND HIS WIFE,  WERE INTERVIEWED AT THE WATERTOWN GFP OFFICE ON AUGUST 1.  O/O 1 ADMITTED TO BEING THE OPERATOR OF HIS BOAT THAT CAUSED THE ACCIDENT AND LEAVING THE SCENE.  HE DID NOT ADMIT TO DRINKING THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT.  SEVERAL WITNESSES WERE INTERVIEWED AND STATEMENTS TAKEN, ALL SAYING THAT DRINKING HAD BEEN TAKING PLACE.  EVERYTHING HAS BEEN TURNED OVER TO THE HAMLIN COUNTY STATE'S ATTORNEY FOR PROSECUTION.  WE ARE HOPING FOR AT LEAST A RECKLESS BOATING CHARGE, LEAVING THE SCENE OF AN ACCIDENT AND PERJURY FOR LYING UNDER OATH ON HIS STATEMENT.
LAKE NORDEN                   