RedactedNarrative: On the 25th of may 2016, at about 1955 hrs, i received a call in reference to a hit and run on lake norman.   A  witness observed vessel  1 strike a docked pontoon boat (vessel 2)  and continued on without stopping.  A few minutes later, the witness observed vessel 1 leaving the area heading toward the landing to leave.  I was able to get catawba county sheriff's office to locate and hold the operator until i could arrive.  After speaking with the operator of vessel 1, i learned that he was operating a tiller style engine.  He and his crew had pulled into the cove to fish.  Once they were ready to leave, they turned around and headed south out of the cove.  
  
  Based on the operators information, he was operating less then ten miles per hour when his tiller stuck onto his swivel style seat.  He attempted to make a correction but by the time this happened, it was too late.  He advised that he was scared and didn't know what to do.  Same was charged as described previously.  A homemade light bar bracket mounted on vessel 1's bow struck vessel 2 abaft of beam on the starbord quarter tearing two gashes into the aluminum wall and vertical support.