RedactedNarrative: ON JUNE 18, 2021 AT APPROXIMATELY 21:45 PM, A BOAT INCIDENT OCCURRED ON LAKE HICKORY NEAR THE MOUTH OF THE UPPER LITTLE RIVER (35.7455, -81.3367). THERE WERE TWO VESSELS INVOLVED. VESSEL ONE WAS A TWENTY FOOT 2020 SKEETER ZX225 BASS BOAT WITH A 225 HP OUTBOARD MOTOR.  IT WAS BEING OPERATED BY THE OWNER OF THE VESSEL, V1 OPERATOR. VESSEL TWO WAS A 19 FOOT 6 INCH 2005 CHAPARRAL SKI BOAT WITH A 350 HP INBOARD/OUTBOARD MOTOR.  IT WAS BEING OPERATED BY V2 OPERATOR. THE REGISTERED OWNER OF THE BOAT IS VIEWMONT AUTO SALES. 
  
  THE OPERATOR OF VESSEL 1 WAS COMPETING IN A BASS TOURNAMENT AND WAS CHANGING FISHING LOCATIONS. HE STATED THAT HE WAS TRAVELLING DOWNSTREAM AT APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH NEAR THE MOUTH OF THE UPPER LITTLE RIVER WHEN HE SAW A VESSEL DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF HIM WITH NO ANCHOR LIGHT DISPLAYED. V1 OPERATOR MADE AN EVASIVE SHARP TURN TO THE LEFT TO ATTEMPT TO AVOID A COLLISION. THE STARBOARD SIDE OF VESSEL 1 STRUCK THE REAR PORT SIDE OF VESSEL 2 CAUSING MULTIPLE DEEP SCRATCHES TO THE FIBERGLASS, AND STRESS FRACTURES (SPIDER WEBBING) TO THE GEL COAT OF VESSEL ONE.  THERE WERE MINOR SCRATCHES AND SCUFFS ON VESSEL 2. THERE WERE NO INJURIES.
  
  IN CONCLUSION, AFTER SPEAKING WITH BOTH OPERATORS AND PASSENGERS ON BOTH VESSELS, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE CAUSE OF THE CRASH WAS VESSEL TWO'S FAILURE TO DISPLAY AN ALL AROUND WHITE ANCHOR LIGHT.  V2 OPERATOR ADMITTED THAT HE KNEW THE LIGHT WAS NOT WORKING PROPERLY WHEN HE WENT ON THE LAKE THAT NIGHT AND HAD ALREADY ORDERED A REPLACEMENT ANCHOR LIGHT.  THE OPERATOR OF VESSEL TWO WAS ISSUED A CITATION FOR OPERATING A MOTORBOAT ON THE WATERS OF THIS STATE BETWEEN SUNSET AND SUNRISE WITHOUT EXHIBITING PROPER LIGHTS FOR THAT CLASS OF VESSEL (GS 75A-6; 15A NCAC 10F.0201G).
  
  
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