On 7-4-11 wco #1 received a call from the mitchell police department. The dispatcher said operator v1 called and reported a boat incident that he had been involved in on lake mitchell. Wco #1 called operator v1. Operator v1 told wco #1 that he was involved in a two boat collision on lake mitchell, around 7:30pm. Operator v1 said that both boats were off the water. Since wco #1 was on lake mitchell working the fireworks display wco #1 told operator v1 he would meet in the morning.

On 7-5-11 at approximately 10:30am wco #1 met with operator v1 at his residence. Operator v1 told wco #1 that he was operating the 18' alumacraft with three other occupants. The boat that hit his was a pwc operated by operator v2. Operator v1 said that he was cruising off shore, the pwc came out of a bay area with operator v2 on it, not wearing a life jacket. Operator v1 stated that operator v2 was showing off for the occupants in the boat. Operator v2's pwc came too close and attempted to turn but collided into the side of operator v1's boat. Operator v1 said he also tried to turn away but could not in time. Operator v1 said that the pwc was turned over and the seat came off from the collision. Operator v1 and operator v2 then went to shore and trailered their boats. Operator v1 then discovered that considerable damage had been done to the lund boat. Wco #1 made note that it appeared that the bumper of the pwc struck the side and made an indention on the seam above the top chime about midway down the port side of the boat. Operator v1 also said the boat was now leaking water.

On 7-5-11 at approximately 11:00am wco #1 met with operator v2. Operator v2 told wco #1 that he was not wearing a lifejacket and that operator v1's boat had collided with his pwc. Operator v2 said he came out of the bay and that operator v1 boat had come to close and turned into his and they collided. Operator v2 said the pwc belonged to owner v2 and was located at owner v2’s home. Wco #1 then went to look at the pwc and met with the owner v2. Wco #1 made note of fresh cracks on the starboard side bumper a little forward of the steering column.

Wco #1 determined from the damage and witness statements that both boats were underway. Both boats were traveling in the same general direction. The pwc hit the boat on the port side with the pwc's starboard side, because of this wco #1 was able to determine that the pwc did not yield the right of way to the boat.

On 7-19-11 wco #1 mailed operator v2 a citation for careless operation of a boat and a citation for not wearing a lifejacket on a pwc.

On 8-15-11 wco #1 received the signed citations back from operator v2.

MITCHELL                      