RedactedNarrative: ON SATURDAY MAY 8, 2021 AT APPROXIMATELY 12:02 AM, WILDLIFE OFFICER WAS CONTACTED BY NC WILDLIFE DISPATCH ABOUT A VESSEL INVOLVED IN AN INCIDENT AND NEW HANOVER BATTALION FIRE CHIEF REQUESTED A WILDLIFE OFFICER TO ASSIST WITH INVESTIGATION. 
  
  UPON INVESTIGATION, IT WAS FOUND THAT VESSEL #1, OPERATED BY OPERATOR, WAS HEADING IN A NORTHERLY DIRECTION AT 33 MPH ON THE ICW.  LOW TIDE WAS AT 11:54 ON 5/7/2021 CAUSING A LARGE AND STEEP AMOUNT OF BEACH TO BE EXPOSED.  OPERATOR FAILED TO STAY IN THE MARKED NAVIGATIONAL CHANNEL AND RAN AGROUND AT AN APPX. 20-35-DEGREE ANGLE AT 33 MPH.  VESSEL #1 THEN RAMPED UP THE BEACH APPX 80 FEET FLIPPING THE BOAT ONTO THE STARBOARD SIDE EJECTING THE OCCUPANTS ONTO THE BEACH.
  WILDLIFE OFFICERS INVESTIGATED THE ACTIONS OF VESSEL #1 PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT.  UPON INVESTIGATION, IT WAS FOUND THAT OPERATOR HAD BORROWED VESSEL #1, AND TOOK HIS GIRLFRIEND AND FRIENDS ON A BOAT RIDE TO CAROLINA BEACH.  OPERATOR ADMITTED TO DRINKING VODKA HEAVILY THE NIGHT BEFORE THEN DRINKING APPX. 5 BEERS IN THE MORNING AND HAVING MORE “5 RED OAK BEERS” WHILE AT CAROLINA BEACH PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT. 
   
  THERE WERE 2 WITNESSES KAYAKING ACROSS FROM THE INCIDENT THAT HEARD VESSEL 1 COMING UP THE ICW WITH LOUD MUSIC AND SAW BRIGHT LIGHTS ON PRIOR TO THE IMPACT.  FIRE AND EMS WERE CONTACTED, AND FIRST AID WAS REQUIRED TO PASSENGER 1.  PASSENGER 1'S INJURIES INCLUDED 5 FRACTURED RIBS, CONCUSSION, SCRAPES AND LACERATIONS TO THE REAR OF LEFT THIGH AND BUTTOCKS.  
   
  CHARGES:
  OPERATOR WAS CHARGED WITH:
  1.     OPERATING A VESSEL UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF AN IMPAIRING SUBSTANCE
  2.     CARELESS AND RECKLESS BOATING.
  
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