On 06/24/12 at about 11:00 am I, CPO received a call from an Illinois State Police (ISP) dispatcher informing me of a boat accident on the Fox River.  I was asked to call the McHenry County Sheriff''s Department (MCSD) for details.  I called McHenry County''s dispatch, and was told that a boat had capsized, and that one of the occupants had requested medical treatment.  I was told the accident was located on the Fox River.  I responded to the scene in my patrol vehicle.

The injured subject had been checked by medical personnel from McHenry Fire and Rescue for sore ribs, and had refused further treatment.  I made contact with Victim and his passenger behind the residence.  Neither appeared to have any injuries.

Victim related that he and Passenger had launched from Port Barrington and were in a bass fishing tournament.  They were heading northward on the river to reach the inlet of Dutch Creek, where they were going to continue bass fishing.  Victim said, at about 11:00 am, while traveling at about 40 miles per hour, he made a sharp left turn on the river toward Dutch Creek.  Victim indicated that several personal watercraft (PWC) had just passed heading southward on the river.  At some point during his left turn, Victim said he felt the aft of his vessel shift, "violently," and then felt the vessel capsize.  Both Victim and Passenger were ejected from the vessel.  Victim and Passenger were wearing self-inflating lifejackets, which inflated once they were in the river.  Victim said he and Passenger swam back to the capsized boat and waited for rescue.

While I had Victim and Passenger fill out written statements, someone from MIneola Marina arrived to tow Victim''s vessel.  I concluded my interviews of Victim and Passenger and proceeded to Mineola Marina to gather information about the vessel and photo-document the damage.  Once towing individual arrived at the marina, he was able to right the boat and lift it out of the water.  Photos of the vessel are attached to this report.  While waiting for his boat, Victim began to experience pain in his ribcage and decided to go to the hospital.  Passenger stayed and retrieved he and Victim''s personal effects from the boat.  The bass in the live well were returned to the water.

I provided towing individual with contact information for Victim, as he had left for the hospital.  I then cleared the scene.  On 06/25/12, I contacted Victim.  He had just returned from Good Shepherd hospital in Barrington, IL, where he had gone after leaving Mineola Marina.  Victim indicated he had been held at the hospital overnight, as doctors had found two lacerations on his liver and wanted to keep him for observation should there be any complications.  Victim indicated he was released and was expected to make a full recovery.  EOR

JOHNSBURG                     