RedactedNarrative: On 07 May 2016, NJSP Burlington Station received a call regarding a possible drowning near Duck Island, in Trenton City, Mercer County. SSgt. and I were recalled to respond. While enroute in troop vessel #2902 we had contact with Trenton City PD, who were at the Trenton municipal boat ramp. Upon reaching the area, we saw a US Coast Guard vessel searching, but they departed shortly after our arrival. The growing darkness limited the time we could conduct a surface search to a short period, and we did not find anything of note. A private civilian vessel was towing a personal water craft (PWC) that was mostly submerged back to the dock. After tying the PWC to the dock, the civilian vessel quickly left. When we arrived at the Trenton ramp, we met with three people. 
       I spoke to Subject1, and he told me the following information. He had recently purchased a PWC and had come to the Trenton ramp to test it. He brought his son and an acquaintance, Subject3. When they arrived at the ramp, they met Operator. Subject1 owns a business in Trenton and was familiar with Operator as a customer. Subject1, his son, and Subject3 proceeded to ride the PWC several times each. While on the dock, Operator was giving Subject1 advice about PWC operation, claiming that he owned a PWC himself. After the three of them had ridden the PWC for a time, Subject1 decided to leave and went to the parking lot to retrieve his truck and trailer. While walking, he heard the sound of his PWC underway once more. Looking back, he saw that Operator had jumped on the PWC with Subject3 on the back. Up until that time, Operator had not ridden the PWC. Subject1 returned to the dock instead of retrieving the trailer. He then watched as Operator attempted a sharp turn, ejecting both occupants into the river. Subject1 said the two men tried to turn the PWC upright several times before Operator began swimming toward shore. He did not swim very far before he began to wave his arms and call for help. His son moved to jump into the river and swim to Operator. However, Subject1 restrained his son, fearing he would not survive. Instead, he told his son to call for emergency services.
       I then spoke to Subject3 who related the following information. He had gone to the Trenton ramp with Subject1 and his son in order to test a PWC. The three of them took turns until they were ready to leave. Subject1 asked Subject3 to hold the PWC against the dock while he and his son brought the trailer to the water. All of a sudden, operator jumped on the PWC and said, "Let's go!" Subject3 got on the back and Operator rode out into the river. After about 100 yards, Operator went to turn and both went into the water. The two of them tried to flip the PWC upright about five times, then Operator decided to leave. He started to swim to shore, but then began calling for help and waving his arms. The people on shore began yelling for them to hold onto the PWC. Subject3 knew he was not a strong swimmer and decided that if Operator could not make it, neither could he. Returning to the PWC, Subject3 lost sight of Operator as he went under the water. After a few minutes, a passing boat pulled him from the water and returned him to the dock.
       I then spoke to subject1’s son. He related that he had gone to the Trenton boat ramp to test his father's PWC with his father and Subject3. After they decided to leave, Operator and Subject3 took the boat out one more time. They were on the PWC for a few minutes before it flipped over. He watched as they tried to turn the PWC upright, and recorded some of that time on his phone. Soon enough, he realized something was wrong and stopped recording to call 9-1-1. After calling for emergency services, he began yelling to them to flip the PWC and hold onto it. He saw another boat coming upriver and yelled to the operator to help the two in the water. The boat had a small launch that retrieved Subject3. After returning him to the dock, the boat continued to search the area, but could not find Operator.
       I spoke to Officers from Trenton PD, who could not add any new information. They were helpful in managing the scene as interviews were conducted, and remained until we departed. Trenton PD completed an incident report #16-005241. Based on the witness statements, the following sequence of events has become apparent: The three witnesses went to the river to ride a PWC that had recently been purchased by Subject1. The PWC had not been operated before by any of those individuals. While at the Trenton boat ramp, they encountered an acquaintance of the three men. After riding the PWC for a time, the three men decided to leave. While Subject3 was holding the PWC to the dock, the acquaintance jumped on the PWC and asked Subject3 to accompany him. The two men then rode the PWC in the river for an unspecified yet brief period before the acquaintance made a sharp turn that ejected both occupants. The two men then attempted to turn the PWC upright several times but were unable to do so. When the PWC would not remain upright, the acquaintance left the PWC and attempted to swim to shore. He began to struggle and call for help. No one was able to offer help, and the acquaintance submerged and did not resurface. Subject3 clung to the PWC until another vessel arrived to offer assistance.
       The PWC was removed from the water and determined to be a white Yamaha Wave Runner with registration NJ 4684 HC, valid until May 2017. The registered owner was, in fact, Subject1. When removed from the water, the engine compartment was discovered to be completely filled with water. There appeared to be some patchwork repair to the engine of the PWC. A more detailed examination will be conducted by a mechanic to determine if the condition of the engine contributed to the difficulty of turning the PWC upright after the riders were ejected. Det. II from Crime Scene Investigations Central responded to photograph the PWC. When he finished, the PWC was removed to a secure lot.
  