On july 4, 2010, Sgt and i were patrolling in the vicinity of bell's island.  At approximately 9:40pm i received a report of a boating accident, hit and run with an injured party enroute to meet ems in coinjock bay.  Sgt and i immediately headed into coinjock bay and proceeded toward the red lights of an ambulance on the shore.  Upon arrival, Operator1 approached me and identified himself as the operator of the striking vessel #1.  Operator1 stated that he was returning from watching fireworks when he struck an anchored vessel that had no lights on.  Operator1 stated that immediately after the collision, the other vessel "blinded" Operator1 with a spotlight and yelled "miss boo" (the name painted on the side of Operator1' boat) and various obscenities.  The other vessel then sped off into the dark without any lights on.  Operator1 then stated his cousin who was in another boat near the scene followed the unlit vessel #2 to the entrance of a chain of canals on the east side of bells island where he was waiting until Sgt and i could get there.  I handed Operator1 an accident report form and advised i would contact him later.  

Sgt and i went to meet Operator1' cousin.  Cousin stated he was sure the vessel had entered the canal, but was unsure where it had gone from there.  Cousin gave a description of the unlit vessel as a white commercial crabbing boat with a large crab pot rack on the back and 4 stroke honda motor.  Sgt and i patrolled each canal and found several commercial crabbing vessels, but non that matched exactly the description that Cousin had given.  Sgt and i terminated the search to be continued the following day.  I contacted Operator1 (v1) and advised i would meet with him the following day.  The following day i met with Sgt and officer.  Sgt advised someone had contacted the currituck cou sheriff in reference to the boating accident the night before.  Officer and i proceeded to the address of the person who contacted the sherriff and met with operator2.  

I interviewed operator2 and asked why he left the scene, operator2 stated that he feared "severe traumatic injury" to the passengers aboard his vessel and was unsure if his boat was sinking.  When i asked why he did not report the incident to wildlife; operator2 stated that he had called the sheriff and thought that was enough.  When i asked what happened that night, operator2 stated he was anchored with anchor light on.  Then a boat approached that was plowing through the water with the bow so high that the operator could not see anything that was in front of him.  The plowing boat hit his boat.  Operator2 said he shined a spotlight on the boat, yelled at them, and then returned to his residence.  When i asked operator2 if there was anytime his lights were not on, operator2 stated after the collision, the battery had moved pulling the wires that power lights from the battery.  Operator2 stated this was the only time his lights were not on.  In summary, i found vessel 1 operated by Operator1 was proceeding in a southeasterly direction on the waters of coinjock bay.  Vessel number2 operated by operator2 was anchored.  Operator1 stated he did not see operator2 vessel and as a result struck operator2 on the starbvoard bow approximately four to six feet behind the tip of the bow.  Operator2 immedicately directed a spotlight onto Operator1 vessel.  There was an exchange of words.  Operator2 left the scene of the accident and returned his vessel to his residence.  One person in Operator1 vessel felt his back had been injured in the incident.  Operator1 used a cell phone to report the incident and proceeded to a dock in the vicinity of currituck sports ii to meet ems officials and seek treatment for the injured parth aboard their vessel.  It was not apparent that alcohol or drug u
MAPLE                         