This is a McHenry County Sheriff''s Office report.  The vessel struck a reef and was grounded.  The reporting officer states that upon arrival at the Fox River dock of the address he was dispatched, he met with the the individual who assisted the operator right after the accident.  The officer noted severe damage to the propeller and lower unit.  The operator and passenger in the vessel at the time of the accident were at Northern Illinois Medical Center in McHenry.  According to the assisting individual, the injured victim had been lying on the rear deck of the boat and was thrown forward to the floor.  When officer arrived at the hospital, he noted a moderate odor of alcohol on the breath of the operator.  The officer asked the operator if he had been drinking.  The operator responded that he had been drinking "after the accident" at his friend''s house who assisted him, but claimed he had not been drinking prior to the accident.  The operator said he was very familiar with the area in which he was operating and that he had noticed the white and red warning buoys.  When asked to explain why he ignored the warning, he stated "I have no explanation".  The injured victim claimed to have been lying on the back seat and not the rear deck of the vessel at the time of the accident.  The victim was having no trouble breathing, just pain and was awaiting a CT scan at the time of this report.

The operator claimed that there was no damage to his vessel at all even after the reporting officer stated that there was obvious damage to the lower unit and propeller and that bilge pump never stopped pumping water while the officer was at the scene.  The operator did admit that the vessel had to be towed.

Upon completion of the accident report, the reporting officer cited the operator for careless operation.
Johnsburg                     