RedactedNarrative: On 7/6/14 at approximately 5:30pm, a home made vessel composed of two rows of plastic 55 gallon drums, pontoons with wood deck attached on the top was located in the neuse river near kinston nc. Operator had launched the vessel on hwy 70 at the kinston parks and recreation boat ramp and was drifting down stream to the ncwrc boat access area located at 963 hwy 11/55. 
  
  Operator had eight passengers and himself on the vessel. There were no coast guard approved life jackets on board. The vessel did have alcohol on board and several of the passengers including several underage drinkers that were cited, and the operator had consumed alcohol. The victim had not consumed alcohol. The victim was pregnant, this was a factor she said in her decision to go to the hospital. 
  
  Operator was using a piece of electrical conduit as a push pole to navigate the vessel as it drifted down stream. Operator, not being aware of his surroundings, where the passengers were located on the vessel in comparison to where the push pole was being used, and the possibility of a piece of electrical conduit breaking under the extreme pressure exerted when trying to navigate a vessel of his vessel's size in the strong current of the neuse river led to the accident. 
  
  When the vessel was just down stream from the king street bridge, operator was attempting to navigate with the electrical conduit when it snapped in the direction of the victim and the piece left in operator's hands struck her in the head. The injury caused by the accident was a small laceration to the head of the victim and swelling of the immediate area to the laceration. The victim was transported to the hospital by lenoir county ems and was diagnosed and released. 
  
  In conclusion, i believe based on my training and experience as a wildlife enforcement officer, that the operator's intention, alcohol use, fault of equipment, and hazardous waters lead to the accident on 7/6/14.