On May 29, 2011, at approximately 2:33pm, Officers arrived at the scene of a boating accident on Boone Lake in Sullivan County. At this time there was a red bass boat overturned in the center of the lake and several vessels had stopped to assist and render aid. I made contact with the vessel operator who boarded our patrol vessel and was administered a float field sobriety task. I concluded that Operator was not under the influence drugs and or alcohol. Operator stated that he had struck an object in the water upstream from our location and he had used the trolling motor on his vessel for 5-10 minutes and then another vessel offered to tow him to a safe location. As they were being towed, a large wake from an unknown passing vessel swamped Operator’s vessel causing it to overturn. I assisted Operator in getting his vessel to a nearby private ramp where it could be loaded on a trailer. The following day, a propeller and lower gear housing was found by me and assisting officers in shallow water near point 9, approximately 0.25 miles upstream from where I found Operator''s vessel to be overturned. The gear housing and propeller matched the engine on the vessel operated by Operator. Operator stated on 6-8-2011 that was the area where he had struck something.

In the location where Operator ran aground, there are two rock buoys that mark the area as dangerous. The location of the buoys in relation to where Operator''s vessel ran aground is shown in the above diagram. The rocks in the area were almost completely submerged on the day of the accident, 5-29-2011. Operator collided with the submerged rocks due to inexperience operating in that area of Boone Lake. It is also believed that operator inattention (failing to recognize or yield to buoys) on behalf of Operator is another cause of the accident.

Damage to the vessel includes and may not be limited to: Outboard engine lower unit damage, engine cowling missing, scratches in gel coat and fiberglass, missing equipment due to overturning, water damage.

PINEY FLATS                   