RedactedNarrative: On January 15th, 2022 at approximately 1030 hours, I, Officer of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) was dispatched to a reported boating accident just south of the Broad Causeway Bridge. I immediately responded to the scene on my patrol vessel from No Name Harbor in Key Biscayne. 
  
  When I arrived on scene, the reporting party and operator of the vessel involved had left the scene. I made contact with Operator via telephone and he advised that he had brought his vessel back to Haulover Marina and had it pulled out of the water because he wasn't sure if water was getting inside the hull due to the damage it sustained during the accident. Operator also advised the he wasn't injured during this accident but he stated that he went to a clinic to make sure he hadn't aggravated a pre-existing injury.
  
  Operator stated that he was bringing his boat from Normandy Isle to Haulover Marina at approximately 0600 hours when the starboard bow and midship of his vessel collided with a channel marker while cruising at approximately 15 miles per hour. Operator stated that it was very dark at the time and he didn't see the channel marker and was shocked when he realized what happened. He advised that interior lighting on the vessel may have contributed to the accident by affecting his vision. Operator estimated that the total damage done to his vessel was approximately $50,000.00. 
  
  I inspected the channel marker that Operator had struck, which was green marker 15 in the Intracoastal Waterway just south of Broad Causeway, and there was no significant damage to the channel marker. The only visible damage was scuffs and paint transfer. I took photographs of the channel marker and attached them to this report.  I also inspected the vessel and took photographs of the vessel at Haulover Marina and attached them to this report. There was severe fiberglass and rub rail damage on the starboard side of the vessel from the bow to just past midship. 
  
  End of report.
  