RedactedNarrative: On May 29, 2016, I, Marine Enforcement Officer, was approached by Sports Adventure Rentals Inc. staff to take a report of a hit and run involving one of their vessels.  
  
  Operator2 (Operator of vessel B) and Operator1 (Operator of vessel A) reported to me that the vessel they had rented had been hit by a PWC who then fled the area.  Operator1 stated he was cooking food on the beach earlier in the day.  He had his back to the water and heard a collision.  When Operator1 turned around, he saw a yellow and white PWC backing away from vessel B and then quickly leave the area heading out to open water in an easterly direction. 
  
   Operator1 yelled at the PWC driver, ran down towards vessel B and saw the damage to the starboard side. Operator1 described the PWC as a 2010 model yellow and white 2 seater with a dark colored seat on it.  Operator1 stated that it was similar to a GTX model PWC possibly a Sea Doo with purple letters on the back.  He described the driver as a light skinned man wearing blue swim trunks and a dark blue & gray lifejacket.  The PWC operator had short dark hair and glasses.  Both Operator1 and Operator2 stated they had seen the PWC operator in the area driving around near their camp earlier in the day.  Operator2 stated he saw the PWC and operator from further up the beach where he was at the restroom.  Both men stated that Vessel B was parked on the beach when the accident happened.  I notified the other patrol vessels on the water of the description of the PWC and operator.
  
  I inspected vessel B and observed an approximately 16” wide by 10” penetration tear on the starboard side.  The penetration was above the normal water line of the vessel.  It was just behind the operator’s seat.  The penetration had black transfer marks in and above the hole.  The black transfer created an arc above the tear from one side of the tear to the other.  There were small bits of black plastic stuck to the jagged edges of the tear to the right of the center.  I also observed black transfer marks the wake board tower above the point of impact.  Photos and measurements were taken of the damage to vessel B.
  
  I next re-interviewed Operator1 and Operator2 to fill out required information in the boat accident report.  Operator1 restated his account from above.  Operator2 stated he was up the beach from their camp and saw the aftermath of the collision.  Both men stated that there may have been other people on the beach that saw what happen, but thought they may have left.  I got the location of their camp, gave them my card with info on obtaining a copy of the report.  Operator2 was worried about the incident affecting his vehicle insurance.  I also asked if the men saw the PWC driver, to call me.  They offered to hold him down if they saw him again for me.
  
  After the interview, I returned to patrolling the lake, and stopped at two camps with PWCs matching the description given by both men.  I found the camp of Operator2 and Operator1 on the north east side of Hot Springs Cove.  There was a white Sea Doo (Vessel A) parked at the camp that was never mentioned previously.  I approached the camp and made contact with Operator1 and Operator2 and confirm this was the location of the collision.  Operator1 stated he was hoping I had found the PWC operator.  There were several other family members there with Operator1.  Operator1 stated that he was taking vessel A back to sports adventure and they were packing up to leave.  I then made contact with a male in the camp next door to Operator1 & Operator2’s camp.  The male stated that he did not see it happen just heard it, but thinks that they hit each other.
  
  As I was leaving the beach, I contacted Sports Adventure and asked them to check vessel A that Operator1 was returning for any new damage.  As I was returning to Sports Adventure, their mechanic called and stated they found new damage on the front of vessel A that was not noted on the check-out form.  
  
  I asked Officer to assist me with the investigation at this time.  Officer and I inspected the front of vessel A.  I observed a crack in the top of the center of the front bumper.  The front center portion of the bumper had a tear completely through the plastic with the edges pushed inwards.  There were gouges along the top of the plastic covering above the bumper.  This damage all appeared to be new damage and not oxidized like the rest of the black plastic bumper.  According to the rental agreement filled out prior to each rental, this damage was not present on vessel A when it was picked up in the morning.  Officer1 and I measured the damage pattern on vessel A and compared it to measurements and patterns on vessel B.  The measurements and scratch patterns on vessel A were consistent with the tears and transfer on vessel B.  The arc pattern of black transfer across the top of the penetration of vessel B matched to the shape of the front cover and bumper of vessel A.  Pictures and measurements of the damage were taken.  
  
  Officer1 and I then interviewed both Operator1 and Operator2 about the damage to vessel A.  Operator1 stated that they did not hit anything during the day and that damage may have already been there.  Operator1 stated he was the only person operating vessel A all day, and he did not hit anything.  Operator1 stated that vessel A never encountered vessel B.  Operator1 and Operator2 eventually left the marina after a brief argument with Sport Adventure staff over damages and who was responsible for paying them.
  
  Officer1 and I returned to Hot Springs Cove to look for witnesses to the collision.  I stopped at the camp next to where Operator1 and Operator2 were staying.  When asked, two of the campers stated they saw everything that happen, but were hesitant to say anything at first while the other party was there.  
  
  According their written statements, Subject1 stated she saw a very dark skin man and child riding vessel A in the area of the camp.  Vessel A “glided” into vessel B hitting the right side.  The entire camp came to look at the damage and in about an hour, a man in a blue shirt and the dark skin man left in vessel B.  
  
  (Operator2 was wearing a blue shirt when I conducted the interviews, and Operator1 was the only dark skin / black man I observed at the camp.)  
  
  Subject2 state that she saw vessel B parked on the shore.  Vessel A came in too fast, killed the engine and a wake took them into the side of vessel B.  Short time later owner comes back and all look at the damage.  After that, vessel B left and vessel A remained.  This chain of events was also confirmed by their verbal statements.  The driver of vessel A was described at the darkest person in the group.  The passenger on vessel A was described as a female child. 
   
  Based on the evidence I observed and the statements I received, the following events took place.  
  
  Vessel B was on the shore in Hot Springs Cove and not moving. Vessel A, operated by Operator1, struck vessel B on the starboard side causing the damage described above.  Operator1 and Operator2 then returned vessel B to Sports Adventure and claimed that another PWC struck vessel B and then fled the scene in an attempt to avoid paying for any damages.  Both men filed a false police report with me contrary to NMSA 30-39-1.  Operator1 operated vessel A in a manner that endangered the property of another (vessel B) contrary to NMSA 66-12-11A.
  
  Audio recordings 386-046, 047,048, 049, 050, 051, 052, 053 were made of this incident.
  
  End of report.