ON APRIL 18, 2009 I, OFFICER, ALONG WITH OFFICER2 RESPONDED TO A BOAT ACCIDENT REPORT ON HYCO LAKE.  WE RECEIVED THE REPORT FROM THE PERSON COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE.  THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE WAS CONTACTED BY AN UNKNOWN CALLER FROM A CELL PHONE.

OFFICER AND I ARRIVED AT THE SCENE OF THE AROUND 1300 HOURS BY BOAT.  WE OBSERVED VESSEL 1, NC 5296 WK, ABOUT 90% SUBMERGED OFF THE BANK OF SOUTH HYCO LAKE.  VESSEL 1 WAS SITTING ON THE LAKE BOTTOM IN SHALLOW WATER AGAINST THE BANK.  THE LOWER UNIT OF THE MOTOR APPEARED TO BE STRIPPED OFF THE VESSEL AND WAS LYING SUBMERGED BEHIND THE STERN OF THE VESSEL.  AT THIS POINT WE WERE UNABLE TO INSPECT THE HULL FOR DAMAGE BECAUSE IT WAS UNDERWATER.  THREE BEER CANS AND A BOTTLE OF JAGERMEISTER LIQUOR WERE LOCATED IN THE PASSENGER AREA OF VESSEL 1.  ONE OF THE BEER CANS AND THE BOTTLE OF LIQUOR STILL CONTAINED ALCOHOL.  OFFICER CHECKED THE NAVIGATION LIGHT SWITCH AND FOUND IT TO BE IN THE OFF POSITION.  OFFICER WALKED THE BANK WHERE THE VESSEL WAS LYING AND COULD SEE EVIDENCE OF THE PATH OF THE VESSEL.  HE OBSERVED SMALL FRAGMENTS OF THE HULL WHICH SCRAPED OFF ON THE DIRT AND ROCKS WHEN VESSEL 1 COLLIDED WITH THE BANK.

I CONTACTED RALEIGH AND RAN THE BOAT REGISTRATION FOR VESSEL OWNERSHIP.  THE OWNER WAS CONTACTED AND REPORTED THAT HE WAS NOT THE OPERATOR OF THE VESSEL AND THAT THE OPERATOR WAS PROBABLY HIS SON.  I CONTACTED THE SON AND SET UP AN APPOINTMENT O MEET WITH HIM THE NEXT DAY, APRIL 19, 2009.

I WAS ABLE TO MEET THE SON ON APRIL 19 AROUND 1000 HOURS AT THE PLACE OF THE ACCIDENT AND WE DISCUSSED THE DETAILS OF THE ACCIDENT.  SON REPORTED HE WAS THE OPERATOR OF THE VESSEL AND THERE WAS ONLY ONE PASSENGER.  OPERATOR REPORTED HE DRANK ONE BEER THAT NIGHT AND CLAIMED ALCOHOL WAS NOT A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT.  HE REPORTED THEY GOT ON THE WATER AROUND 2215 HOURS THE NIGHT BEFORE AND WERE CRUISING THE LAKE.  OPERATOR REPORTED IT WAS AROUND 2230 HOURS AND THEY WERE CRUISING TO SOUTH HYCO WHEN HE HIT SOMETHING IN THE WATER AND FELT A SLIGHT JERK OF THE WHEEL.  OPREATOR WAS IN THE STANDING POSITION WHILE OPERATING THE VESSEL.  HE SAID HE TURNED THE WHEEL THE OPPOSITE WAY OF THE JERK AND THEN THE BOAT CAME TO A STOP ON THE BANK.  HE DID NOT RECALL ACTUALLY GOING UP THE BANK BUT HE SAID IT COULD HAVE HAPPENED BECAUSE EVERYTHING HAPPENED SO QUICK.  HE ALSO REPORTS HE WAS HEADED SOUTHEAST WHEN HE COLLIDED WITH THE BANK BUT EVIDENCE ON THE BANK SHOWS HE WAS HEADED SOUTHWEST.  OPERATOR SEEMED UNSURE OF WHAT HAPPENED, AS IF HE DIDN’T REMEMBER MANY DETAILS OF WHAT ACTUALLY OCCURRED.  HE REPORTED THAT HE WAS USING HIS NAVIGATIONAL LIGHTS THAT NIGHT AND THAT AFTER THE ACCIDENT HE LEFT THE SWITCH IN THE ON POSITION.  OCCUPANT REPORTED SHE COULD NOT REMEMBER IF THE LIGHTS WERE ON.

AFTER THE COLLISION, OPERATOR AND OCCUPANT UNSUCCESSFULLY CALLED SEVERAL PEOPLE BY PHONE FOR HELP.  THE ONLY PERSON THEY WERE ABLE TO MAKE CONTACT WITH WAS A PERSON WHO WAS STAYING IN A HOUSE ON HYCO LAKE.  RESIDENT PICKED UP BOTH OPERATOR AND OCCUAPNT AROUND 0145 HOURS FROM VESSEL 1 AND GAVE THEM A RIDE BACK TO THEIR HOUSE USING HIS BOAT.  RESIDENT REPORTED WHEN HE GOT TO THE VESSEL IT WAS STILL FLOATING BUT HAD A LOT OF WATER IN THE BOTTOM.

THE NEXT MORNING AROUND 0830 HOURS OPERATOR CONTACTED SUBJECT AND REQUESTED SUBJECT TOW HIS BOAT BACK TO SHORE.  SUBJECT REPORTED OPERATOR TELLING HIM “I TURNED LEFT WHEN HE SHOULD HAVE TURNED RIGHT”.  AFTER OFFICER AND I FINISHED OUR INVESTIGATION WE ALLOWED SUBJECT TO ATTEMPT TO TOW VESSEL 1.  SUBJECT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL AT TOWING VESSEL 1 BECAUSE IT SANK WITHIN SECONDS OF BEING PULLED OFF THE BANK.  ON APRIL 26, 2009 I WAS ABLE TO INSPECT VESSEL 1 AT WARREN’S TOWING SERVICE ON MCGEES MILL ROAD.  VESSEL 1 HAD AT LEAST 4 HOLES IN THE OUTSIDE HULL O
SEMORA                        