RedactedNarrative: On 7/4/18 at approximately 00:32 hours, i, indiana conservation officer, was contacted in reference to a boat accident that had just occurred on patoka lake in the painters creek fork in orange county, in.  Subject1 advised he was the passenger in a boat that hit another boat.  Subject1 advised there were no injuries and minor damage to both watercraft vessels.  I responded and met both parties involved at the painters creek boat ramp at patoka lake.  
  
  Upon arrival i was informed that subject1 was the passenger in a boat operated by operator1.  Operator1 was operating a 1993 17 foot astro pas18fqe1 fishing style boat.  Operator1 and subject1 advised at approximately 00:15 hours they were traveling east in the painters creek fork of patoka lake, returning to the painters creek boat ramp, when they hit a  runabout style boat, anchored in the middle of the lake with no lights on.  
  Operator1 estimated his speed at the time of the collision was approximately 6.5-7 mph as he had been watching his speed on the boats gps.  Operator1 stated he put the boat in reverse quickly to try to avoid impact but still struck the boat.  Operator1 and subject1 both stated they believed the two occupant of the boat were sleeping at the time of the collision as it took them approximately a minute to stand up and make contact with them.  Operator1 stated he didn't believe his watercraft sustained damage to anything but the trolling motor, which was mounted on the bow of the boat and was the point of impact in the collision.  Operator1 stated the trolling motor was in the up position at the time of the collision.  The trolling motor is a minn kota ulterra bow mount trolling motor with i-pilot link us2 serial#p075mk00371.  Operator1 stated the trolling motor value was approximately $2,600 and i later found the same trolling motor on basspro.com for $2,599.99.  Operator1 stated the trolling motor would not auto deploy and demonstrated to me that it would only deploy half way.  I observed that the trolling motor shaft appeared to be sitting off centered of the mount.  I observed scuffs and scratches to the front of the trolling motor.
  
  I observed the boat that operator1 and subject1 stated they struck still on the water, with a male and female attempting to trailer it.  At this time i observed the boat had working bow lights but did not observe a stern light on.  Once the other watercraft was loaded i made contact with the male and female.  requested subject2 enter my marked police vehicle for an interview.  I asked subject2 what had happened.  Subject2 stated that he had been out boating earlier in the day with friends and family and that he and subject3 had decided to spend the night on his boat, a 1992 19 foot bayliner marine maxum runabout style boat which was white with a red strip.  Subject2 stated he believed they had anchored properly near the shore but thought they must had drifted into the middle of the lake.  Subject2 stated he did not have any navigation lights on.  Subject2 stated repeatedly that he was unfamiliar with all of the boating laws.  Subject2 stated he was asleep at the time of the collision and that the impact was so light he only woke after hearing operator1 and subject1 and talking. 
  
  I then interviewed subject3  in my police vehicle.  Subject3 stated the same as subject2, that they had planned to spend the night on the watercraft near the shoreline and that the boat must have drifted away.  Subject3 also stated that there were no lights on.  Subject3 also stated she was unaware of a collision and awoke to operator1 and subject1 talking.
  
  I observed black marks, likely from the trolling motor, on the starboard (right) side on the bayliner, where all parties stated the impact occurred.