RedactedNarrative: On July 7, 2018, Operator 1 notified the Florida Fish & Wildlife commission that he had been involved in a single vessel boating accident where he had hit channel marker 61. I was assigned to investigate the accident so I contact Operator 1 by phone to let him know that I was on my way to his residence to inspect his vessel.
  
  When I arrived at Operator 1’s residence he stated that he was traveling North on the St. Johns river when suddenly he struck the channel marker. I asked him if there was anything that obstructed his view to cause him to not see that channel marker, and he said that he had briefly looked down at floor deck before striking the marker. Operator 1 was then asked why he did not stay on scene and wait for an officer to respond, and he said he would have but their was a bad storm coming and he was trying to get off the water before it came.
  
  Operator 1 had a passenger on his vessel. She stated that she did not really see what had happen, but fell on impact and hurt her right pinky finger. I offered her to seek medical attention and she said she would be fine. One photo of her injuries was taken and both individuals provided me a written sworn statement.
  
  Operator 1 had taken myself and another officer to the shop his vessel was at waiting for repairs. I boarded the vessel to conduct an inspection of all his safety equipment and to assess the damage done from the channel marker. The starboard side of his pontoon had a half moon shape dent to the bow. I took several photos to document the damage that had been done. I asses that the damage done would cost him around 2,000 U.S dollars.
   
  I then wrote Operator 1 a warning for no registration on board and a warning for improper lookout. An officer went to channel marker 61 by water to assess the damage and had dispatch notify the coast guard. The channel marker was pushed over leaving it sticking out of the water about a foot and half, which makes it hard to see from any distance. After completing my investigation a boating accident report was completed for documentation. 
  