RedactedNarrative: On Wednesday, July 4th, I was patrolling the impact zone of the permitted "Spirit of America Festival and Fireworks Show" on Lake Wheeler, in Flint Creek, near Point Mallard. Approximately 300 boats were in attendance and parked in the area, making the creek and slew highly congested. The fireworks show was scheduled to begin at 2100 hours. 
  
  At approximately 2050 hours, an unknown boat pulled up to Morgan County Rescue and told them he heard two vessels collide in a slew to the rear of the show, and that people were screaming for a jon boat to stop because he was driving recklessly through the crowd of boats. Morgan County Rescue informed me and we both departed to the scene. While enroute, the Decatur Troopers Post also contacted me about the accident, informing me that a caller had reported it to them. I arrived on the scene at approximately 2100 hours. 
  
  Upon arrival, only two people were at the scene. They were located on the shoreline inside the slew. Subject1 informed me that she saw the accident and that everyone, including other boats and other people on the shoreline, had quickly left the scene, leaving them behind. They reported a jon boat, V1, drove through the slew without stopping and ran into a Phoenix Bass Boat, driven by Operator2. 
  
  They reported no one was currently in the water and there were no injuries. They stated that the area had been a party scene in the hours leading up to the accident. A thorough search of the area was conducted and only one boat, vessel 1, the jon boat, was found. The boat was floating freely in the slew, unoccupied. I instructed the rescue squad to tow the boat back to Ingalls Harbor and asked Decatur PD to transport the two witnesses back to shore. After an inventory and inspection of vessel damage, I had the boat, Vessel 1, impounded by Branums Wrecker Service. Damage was visible on the bow-port side, and the tiller steer arm was broken off from its mount. 
  
  At approximately 2330 hours, the Decatur Troopers post informed me of a call from the home of Operator2, stating he wanted an accident report, that his boat had been hit by another boater, driven by his friend Operator1. I contacted Operator2 and arranged to meet him, with his boat, on Friday 6 July at 1300hrs. On 5 July, around 0900 hours, I received a call from the Troopers Post referencing thefather of Operator1, requesting the keys to the truck and boat trailer that still remained at the Hickory Hills boat ramp. 
  
  I met with him, gave him the keys that I had found from inside Vessel 1. I then arranged to meet Operator1 on 6 July at 1530. On 6 July, at 1300, I met with the operator of boat 2 and inspected the vessel and gathered statements. The vessel hull was damaged on the cap of the port side near the seating area, and the passenger seat was torn. The damage appeared to be from a propeller. After inspecting the damage from both vessels, it appears that Vessel 1 collided port-to-port with Vessel 2. 
  
  Witness Subject1 reported in her statement that the jon boat flipped on its side after impact, knocking subject into the water. Water depth at the scene was 2-3 feet deep. At 1530, I met with Operator1 and gathered a statement from him. Operator1 stated that he did in fact strike vessel 2, being unable to see because of three passengers he had on board were obstructing his view. 
  
  Operator1 stated that he did not know the names of his three passengers. Operator1 also stated he had drank 6-8 beers that night. Witness Subject1 reported in her statement that Operator1 had no occupants in his boat when the collision occurred. Both parties involved in this accident and other witnesses in the slew, left the scene, without reporting it to anyone, until Operator2 reported it from home two and a half hours later. The use of safety equipment, lights, and how many, if any, passengers were on board cannot be verified. It is impossible to determ...
  