According to the witness statements and evidence gathered, vessel # 2 operator was in a boating collision in which 2 people (male & female) were seriously injured.  Vessel #2 operator admitted driving the boat while pulling a young boy on a tube (whether or not the boy was wearing a life jacket is unknown). As he was pulling the tube, he admitted running on top of another boat which he described as a bass boat.  Operator2' passenger stated that Operator2 was looking back at the tube instead of looking ahead at the time of impact.  Walker County Sheriff's Deputies stated that the subject had a very strong odor of an alcoholic beverage on his breath, bloodshot eyes, and was found to be on probation for controlled substance possession.  He denied drinking while in or about the boat he was driving.  He said he went home, which was 1/8 of a mile from the accident location, and drank half of a beer and a shot of whiskey because he was upset about what had happened.  The subject said he did go back to the scene and remain there because everyone was yelling at him saying the victims could now be quadrapeligics.  Witness statements contradict Operator2' account.  

According to witnesses, Operator2 (who was positively identified) struck Vessel #1, left the scene, returned to the scene, and fled when he realized that he had, in fact, been involved in an accident.  According to witness statements, there were no life jackets in the striking vessel at the time of impact.  Witnesses stated that the subject put life jackets in the boat after the accident. Operator2 vessel was not currently registered at the time of the accident.  Also, the Hull Identification Number was not able to be identified because the boat was sitting in the water.  There was no trailer available to pull the boat out of the water so the HIN could be visible.

Cordova                       