On June 3, 2013 at approximately 8:40 pm, Senior Agent received a complaint of a boat accident in Red River.  Upon arrival to Red River, contact was made with the operator and owner of the vessel.  Operator1 informed us that he was working on his boat engine while the boat was underway. He stated that the engine was idling rough, so he was pouring gas into the carburator, at which time the engine surged throwing him against the side of the boat.  He stated that when he got up he realized the boat was heading toward the bridge pilings.  He stated that he could not get to the steering wheel in time, so he decided to jump from the moving vessel to avoid a collision in the boat.  Operator1 was wearing a type III personal floatation device when he jumped out the vessel.  He stated that the boat struck the bridge piling than bounced off and ran up on the bank on the Pineville side.  
   We spoke with a witness who informed us that he was an employee of DOTD and will filling out paperwork for a bridge opening for north bound vessel when he witnessed the accident.  He stated he witnessed the boater traveling up and down the river for approximately ten minutes.  He stated the operator was maneuvering the vessel in circles and S turns, which he said caught his attention.  He also stated the boat was passing close to the bridge pilings during these maneuvers.  He informed us that the boat was traveling from the Alexandria side of the river toward the Pineville side, straight toward the bridge pilings, when he saw the operator jump from the vessel and the boat hit the piling.  He stated that the boat veered after impact toward the bank and came to rest on the bank with motor running wide open.  
  We returned to the river the next morning, along with Sgt. and met with the operator, Operator1.  With Operator1's consent, we towed the boat from the river to the Alexandria landing.  Operator1 assisted in trailering the boat at which time we took custody of the boat for our investigation.  We advised Operator1 that we would meet with him Friday morning at our Region Office.  We stored the boat at our Woodworth facility behind a locked gate. 
    Due to the action of Operator1, primarily leaving the vessel's controls unattended, while the vessel was underway, which resulted in the vessel colliding with the concrete pilings of the bridge.  Operator1 was cited under RS 34:851.5 Reckless Operation of a Watercraft, RS 34:851.20A No Boat Registration Certification in Possession, RS 34:851.20 C Failure to Change Ownership and RS 34:851.20 F Expired Boat Registration Certification.
Pineville