Upon notification and arrival at the scene, we were informed that both occupants had already been taken by ambulance to UAMS for treatment.  A witness that was interviewed stated he did not actually see the accident but he heard it.  He said he and his partner were fishing about 300 yards from the accident; he heard the boat approaching and then a loud crash and then silence.  Shortly thereafter heard a female screaming for help.  The witness motored over to the area and found a female sitting in the water holding onto a male subject that was hurt and unconscious.  The witness called 911 and awaited first responders. 

Evidence was collected and photos taken.  We then went to UAMS to make contact with the victims.  The passenger stated she and the operator had been on the sand bar for a while.  She stated that both she and the operator had been drinking and she had had about 4 beers but was unsure of how much the operator had to drink.  She then stated they decided to go for a ride and look at the lights on the Big Dam Bridge.  As they were approaching the dam she realized he was entering the hydro-electric side of the dam and then he made a sharp left turn to try and get back into the main channel.  V1 then struck the jetty separating the hydro side from the main channel.  V1 hit on the operator's side first then flipped over as it crossed the jetty.  V1 ended up upside down.  Passenger stated she was sitting in the front of the boat on an ice chest and was ejected as V1 flipped.  She said she landed several yards from V1 in the main part of the river.  When she surfaced she swam back to V1 and found the operator stuck under the boat and unconscious.  She then went under V1 and pulled him out.  She said the operator was unresponsive and bleeding from his head.  At this time the witness arrived and called 911.  

Once the operator was out of X-ray, we interviewed him.  He stated he was driving V1 and realized he was going into the hydro-electric plant and made a hard left turn, hit the jetty and could not remember anything after that.  When asked how much he had been drinking, he stated "about 4 beers".
LITTLE ROCK                   