On July 2, 2013, at approximately 3:00 p.m., Sergeant was informed of a one vessel boating incident on the Amite River that allegedly occurred on Saturday, June 29, 2013. Sgt. then contacted me, Sergeant, and briefed me on what he had learned. Based on the information he received, on July 2, 2013, we made contact with the alleged operator of the vessel at the time of the incident. After advising Operator of his Miranda Rights (to which he stated he understood and waived), he was questioned about the incident by Sergeant and I. Following in his version of what occurred on the Amite River on that date:

At approximately 5:30 p.m. while traveling upstream in a 14’ Louisiana Traveler bateau with 20 horsepower, tiller steered Evinrude engine, the vessel struck an iron pipe (pilon?) that was approximately 3”-4” underwater where a pipeline owned by Gulf South Pipeline Company (1-800-850-0051) crosses the river. At the time, the vessel was traveling approximately 22 mph, was approximately 30’-40- from the starboard bank, and had two (2) other occupants on board; operator’s sons, aged 10 and 12.
Upon contacting and being lodged onto the pipe, subject was ejected from the vessel. His two sons remained on board, but both received injuries from being thrown around in the vessel (See “Injured page). Other boaters who were in the area came to their aid helping them back to the boat launch where the two boys were then transported to the Lake Urgent Care after hours medical clinic located on Burnside Avenue in Gonzales, La., where they were subsequently treated for their injuries and then released. Operator stated that he was not injured.
Later that day, with the help of others, the vessel was unlodged from the pipe, but immediately sank in the river due to a large hole now in it. Operator went back to the area on a later date, located the submerged vessel and began pulling it back to the launch with another vessel. Sometime during the tow, the engine came off the vessel and was lost forever in the river. Operator said that also during the tow, the tow rope became entangled in the trolling motor of the towing vessel so he cut the rope, causing the damaged vessel to sink again. As of the writing of this report, Operator states that he has been unable to locate the submerged vessel again.
port vincent