RedactedNarrative: On July 3rd, 2022 at or around 0033 hours TWRA Officers responded to a two vessel collision on the Nickajack Resevoir near Moccasin Bend. A 25 foot Brunswick Pontoon boat was struck by a 26 foot Bennington Pontoon resulting in damage to both parties vessels. No injuries were sustained.  
  
  *** On July 3rd, 2022 at or around 0022 hours TWRA Officers were notified of a two vessel collision at or near Moccasin Bend on the Nickajack Resevoir, Hamilton County, TN. At approximately 2330 hours, a 25 ft Bennington Pontoon (Vessel 1) (V1) collided with a 26 ft Brunswick Pontoon (Vessel 2) (V2).  No injuries were sustained, but both vessels sustained property damage. 
  
  Vessel 1 (V1)  was nowhere to be found. It was reported that V1 may have been taking on water. 
  
  At approximately 0113 hours, BO conducted a phone interview with the operator of Vessel 2 (V2)  
  
  Operator2 accounts the following:
  
  He and his passengers were on their way back to their boat slip after watching fireworks. His passengers then requested to use the bathroom so the vessel came to a stop. Upon returning to motion, the passengers noticed that the ladder was still down. The vessel stopped once again to allow the passenger to put the ladder up. The passenger then yelled out that a vessel was heading straight towards them. Everyone on board then ran to the front of the boat to brace for impact. 
  
  V1 then swerved to the right at the last second. The ladder of V2 was ripped off. V1 sustained substantial damage to the side. Operator2 offered to assist the other vessel when a verbal exchange occurred. Operator of V1 claimed V2 had their docking lights on. Operator2 said since he was in the middle of the channel, he wanted all of his lights on in order to be visible. Operator2 claims V1 did not have any lights on at all.   
  
  WO and I began searching access areas nearby to try to locate the vehicle and trailer that was associated to V1. At approximately 0136 hours Dispatch received a call from Operator1, stating he wished to speak with an Officer.  
  
  Operator1 accounts the following: 
  
  Operator1 indicated at approximately 2330 hours to have been on his way back to the Sullivans boat ramp from watching fireworks when he was sideswipped with V2. After the initial collision, he attempted to make his way to the bank on Moccasin bend near the hospital to prevent from sinking. The operator of V2 pulled over for a moment and the departed the scene. Operator1''s phone was dead at the time.
  
  Operator1 claimed that the front of V2 hit the front port side of V1 at a slight angle. He accounts that V2 put their lights on moments before impact.
  
  Operator1 was driving approximately 10 -12 mph when the incident occurred. He claimed to have been cruising on the right side of the channel about 200 ft from the bank when the incident occurred. Navigational lights were said to be in use along with the aid of a spotlight. He later stated to have gone directly from the boat ramp to his shop. 
  
  V1 sustained damage from the front Port side that stretched all the way to the stern of the vessel. The brunt of the impact was directed onto the front left of the vessel. 
  
  From looking at the damage of both vessels, the damage indicates that V1 struck V2 in the right stern side of the vessel. A metal pole from V2 could have caused extra damage along side V1 as both vessels bounced off one another.