RedactedNarrative: ON 4/13/2021 AT APPROXIMATELY 6:00 PM, I, INDIANA CONSERVATION OFFICER RESPONDED TO THE WABASH RIVER IN TIPPECANOE COUNTY FOR A SUBJECT WHO HAD FLIPPED HIS BOAT AND WAS STRANDED ON THE CAPSIZED BOAT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE RIVER. INFORMATION GATHERED INDICATED THE SUBJECT WAS IN THE AREA OF THE 225 BRIDGE. 
          ICO AND I LAUNCHED A RIVER BOAT FROM THE DAVIS FERRY ACCESS SITE AND HEADED UPSTREAM TOWARDS THE AREA. AS he AND I APPROACHED THE 225 BRIDGE, THE TIPPECANOE COUNTY SHERIFF DEPARTMENT HAD LAUNCHED A RIVER BOAT FROM A PRIVATE RAMP AT THE BRIDGE AND STARTED UPSTREAM. THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT HAD RETRIEVED THE STRANDED BOATER, LATER IDENTIFIEd, AND BROUGHT HIM BACK TO SHORE TO BE EVALUATED BY EMS. AFTER he WAS EVALUATED ON SCENE, HE REFUSED FURTHER TREATMENT. 
          AT THIS POINT, PECK AND I ATTEMPTED TO RETRIEVE THE CAPSIZED BOAT. DUE TO ISSUES WITH EQUIPMENT AND DAYLIGHT, my assistant AND I WERE UNABLE TO UPRIGHT THE BOAT. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT WE WOULD RETURN THE FOLLOWING MORNING TO ATTEMPT TO RETRIEVE THE BOAT. UPON RETURNING TO THE DAVIS FERRY RAMP, I MADE CONTACT WITH NATHAN. 
          WHEN I ASKED Operator WHAT HAD HAPPENED, HE EXPLAINED THAT HE HAD JUST PURCHASED THE BOAT AND WANTED TO TAKE IT OUT ON THE RIVER. He FURTHER STATED THAT AS HE WAS CRUISING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE RIVER ABOUT HALF POWER. He EXPLAINED THAT HE STRUCK AN UNKNOWN OBJECT UNDERNEATH THE SURFACE OF THE WATER CAUSING HIS TILLER STEER MOTOR TO KICK SIDEWAYS. He EXPLAINED THAT WHEN THIS HAPPENED, THE BOW OF THE BOAT CAME UP AND THE BOAT ROLLED OVER. He THEN WAS ABLE TO REBOARD THE SWAMPED BOAT AND CALL HIS WIFE TO GET ASSISTANCE. I ASKED him IF HE HAD ANY LIFE JACKETS ON BOARD. He ADVISED THAT HE DID HAVE A LIFE JACKET IN THE FRONT OF THE BOAT BUT COULD NOT REACH IT WHEN THE BOAT FLIPPED OVER.  IN ADDITION, I ASKED him HOW MUCH BOATING EXPERIENCE HE HAD, TO WHICH HE ADVISED LITTLE TO NO EXPERIENCE.  
          AT THIS POINT, I EXPLAINED TO him THAT WE WOULD BE RETURNING THE FOLLOWING MORNING TO ATTEMPT TO GET HIS BOAT OUT OF THE WATER. THE NEXT MORNING, ICO AND SGT. ASSISTED WITH RETRIEVING THE BOAT FROM THE WATER. UPON FLIPPING THE BOAT BACK UPRIGHT, WE WERE ABLE TO TOW IT TO THE SHORE AND REMOVE ALL THE WATER. WE THEN TOWED THE BOAT BACK TO DAVIS FERRY WHERE operator WAS ABLE TO LOAD THE BOAT BACK ONTO THE TRAILER. IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT he HAD THE HIN ON BOTH SIDES OF THE BOW INSTEAD OF THE BOAT REGISTRATION NUMBER. I EXPLAINED WHICH NUMBERS NEEDED TO BE ON BOTH SIDES OF THE BOW AND ISSUED HIM A WRITTEN WARNING FOR IMPROPER DISPLAY.