RedactedNarrative: Prelude:   
  A man was rescued and treated for hypothermia after capsizing his boat.       
  Details of Investigation/Incident:   
     On April 15, 2022, at or about 3:01 P.M., I, Indiana Conservation Officer, was contacted by the Sullivan County Sheriff's Department regarding an overturned kayak in Sullivan Lake, Sullivan County. Sullivan County Dispatch informed me of a male individual in the water screaming for help, and that he was not wearing a life jacket.    
     I responded and the victim, OP1, was being towed in by a neighbor on a kayak as I arrived. He was transported to the Sullivan County Community Hospital and treated for symptoms of hypothermia. The neighbor overheard the screams for help, paddled out to the middle of the lake and took the victim a lifejacket. After he donned the life jacket, she towed him in against the wind where medical personnel were waiting.     
    The wind, which was blowing from the southwest, pushed the overturned boat to the east shore of the lake where the Dugger Town Marshal assisted me with pulling it up onto the bank. I contacted the landowner, who agreed to allow the boat to remain on their property until OP1 could retrieve it. I obtained their contact information which they agreed for me to pass on to OP1. I photographed and documented the contents of the boat. Life jackets were stored in the front bow compartment of the boat.    
    I met with OP1 and his wife at the Sullivan County Hospital. OP1 agreed to speak with me regarding the incident. He stated that he had locked the throttle open on his tiller steer motor but had mistakenly taken his hand off the tiller to reach for something. He stated that the motor turned hard and tossed him out of the boat before he could regain control. The vessel overturned and shutoff. He attempted to recover a lifejacket from the compartment of the boat but could not get the latches open. He said he tried to swim to shore but quickly realized he would not make it. He stated that he just held on to the boat. OP1 informed me that he did not think he would have been able to hold on much longer. OP1 informed me that he has a lot of experience with kayaking, but he did not have much experience operating a motorboat.  I provided him with land owner’s phone number and contact information so that he could retrieve his boat.    
  Applicable Statutes:   
  N/A   
  Attachments:   
  Photos (15)   
      
  Current Disposition:   
  Investigation complete. Report submitted to district for approval.   
     
  