RedactedNarrative: On 5/11/22, at approximately 17:00 hours, while on vessel patrol on Lake Lanier, I was notified by Hall County dispatch that there was a boating incident near marker 11LR on Little River that involved injuries.  I arrived on scene at approximately 17:23 hours.  I saw several EMTs at a dock and spoke with them.  One of the EMTs told me that a 19 year old female sustained an injury to her left foot.  There were four other people on the dock who said that they transported Victim in their boat because her's was stranded.  One of the four pointed out the stranded vessel to me.  I handed the four witness statements and left for the stranded vessel.
  
  When I arrived at the stranded vessel, I observed that it was occupied two times.  A man later identified as Operator said that he was operating the vessel at the time of the incident.  He said that he could not get the boat in neutral and Victim struck her foot on the propeller.  He said that the tow rope was currently bound on the propeller.  I asked if there was any alcohol on board and he said that there was and he admitted to having two drinks earlier.  After performing a vessel safety inspection where he showed me the required safety equipment, he agreed to put on a PFD and come aboard my vessel.  Once on my vessel, I asked him the questions on the Department's SFST form and asked him if he would perform a series of tests to assist me in determining if it is safe for him to operate a vessel.  He replied "yes sir."  I performed the horizontal gaze nystagmus exercise but did not observe any clues.  At that time I returned him to his vessel and asked him and the other occupant of the vessel to fill out witness statements.
  
  At that time I went back to the dock and collected the witness statements from the four who rescued Victim and returned to Operator.  
  
  Later that evening, I went to Northeast Georgia Medical Center, Gainesville, to meet with Victim.  In a witness statement he writes that Operator was operating the vessel at the time of the incident and couldn't get it into neutral before victim attempted to get on board.
  
  The next day, I went back to the hospital.  I met Operator there.  Operator said that the vessel was in gear and he heard the "thump" of Victim's foot hit the propeller and then he put it in neutral.  I asked him if he shouted out before the incident to try and warn Victim that the boat was in gear or try and turn it off, and he said that there was not time to do so.  I issued Operator a citation for reckless operation of a vessel at that time.  I then met with Victim in her hospital room.  Subject1 was there as well.  I asked Victim to fill out a witness statement, which she did.  She said that she cut her foot as she tried to get on the vessel.  She said that Operator was operating the vessel and that it was reversing slowly at the time of the incident.  She was clear that she thought it was an accident.  Subject1 said that he could see bone in the water.  Victim said that she had surgery scheduled for her foot that weekend.
  
  I have attached all the witness statements and Department forms used during the incident to this report.  All video and photographs are located on the Department's Visual Labs system.
  