RedactedNarrative: On July 9, 2018, 62 year old operator2 was operating a 16ft aluminum Alweld (LA 3897 GF) flat bottom vessel, powered by a 40hp Tohatsu tiller steer outboard engine (Vessel 2), northbound on Old River, located in LaSalle Parish.  
  
  At the same time, 66 year old operator1 was operating an 18ft 6in aluminum Lifetyme (LA 3558 FH) flat bottom vessel, powered by a 90hp Yamaha tiller steer outboard engine (Vessel 1) southbound on the same river.  68 year old passenger aboard Vessel 2 and was riding in a pedestal seat on the bow.  Passengers aboard Vessel 1 were Operator1's 42 year old son, who was riding near the front of the boat, and Operator1's 14 year old juvenile granddaughter, who was seated near Operator1 in the rear of the vessel.  
  
  Given the time of the call for help to LaSalle Parish Sheriff's Office Dispatch, at approximately 4:40pm, Vessel 2 was negotiating a right hand bend in the river, while operating right of mid-channel and  Vessel 1 was negotiating  the same bend traveling an almost direct course to Vessel 2.  
  
  As they approached, Vessel 2 took an evasive maneuver to the right, towards the eastern shore, to avoid collision.  Vessel 1 took an evasive maneuver to the left, also towards the eastern shore.  Due to both vessels making evasive maneuvers in the same direction, the two vessels struck one another head-on.  
  
  Upon impact, Operator2 was thrown towards the front of Vessel 2, but remained inside.  The kill switch that Operator2 had secured to his body broke from the tiller handle portion of the engine, but did not kill the motor.  Vessel 2's passenger, V2 occupant, was ejected from the vessel and landed in the water.  V2 occupant sustained a blow to the head, cutting him above the right eye and knocking him unconscious.  V2 occupant was not wearing a personal flotation device (PFD) and went underwater.  
  
  Both Operator1 and V1 occupant were ejected from Vessel 1 and into the water.  V1 occupant was the only subject wearing a PFD at the time of the accident, however a sufficient amount of PFDs were onboard both vessels for the occupants.  
  
  Neither V1 occupant nor Operator1 suffered serious injury from the ejection.  Operator1's son suffered a back injury from the collision but remained in the boat.  After colliding, both vessels then traveled into the tree-line near the eastern shore, causing both vessels to become lodged in the dense trees growing along the banks of Old River. 
  
   At approximately 4:44pm, LaSalle Parish Sheriff's Office received an emergency call advising them of the accident, at which point emergency personnel were dispatched.  Operator2 entered the water to search for the still submerged V2 occupant.  Prior to entering the water, Operator2 turned off the ignition to his still running outboard motor.  Operator2 observed a swirl of water a short distance away and located V2 occupant, lifting him out of the water, but unable to load him all the way into Vessel 2.  
  
  Operator1 assisted Operator2 in pushing V2 occupant back into Vessel 2.  Operator2 then freed Vessel 2 from the trees, started his motor and advised that he was taking V2 occupant to the landing.  Operator2 transported V2 occupant to the camp on Riverfront Road.  V2 occupant regained consciousness while en route to the camp on Riverfront Road.  
  
  Upon arrival, Operator2 rolled V2 occupant onto his side, at which point V2 occupant coughed up water breathed in while submerged.  A short period later, LaSalle Parish Deputies and an ambulance arrived to transport V2 occupant to Rapides Regional Medical Center for medical treatment.  
  
  Operator1 was able to dislodge Vessel 1 from the tree-line and traveled to the public landing just southeast of the Old River Bridge, located on Old River Loop.  Upon arrival, two people were transported to LaSalle General Hospital to be evaluated by medical personnel.  Both Operators refused medical transport from the scene, however Operator2 later traveled to Rapides Regional Medical Center for an evaluation and received treatment for a minor injury to his foot.  
  
  Vessel 1 revealed substantial transfer marks on the starboard (right) side of the welded bow eye, of which match the bent aluminum contours of the port bow of Vessel 2.  The point of impact on Vessel 1 appeared to be approximately 6 inches starboard of the welded bow eye, at the upper most weld on the bow.  The aluminum just starboard of the center line of Vessel 1 was observed pushed inward towards the stern.  Just above the transfer marks, the aluminum was observed ripped upward at the weld on the bow of Vessel 1.  The bow eye on Vessel 1 was observed broken off just forward of the welded plate, but the remaining portion of the bow eye was observed bent toward the port side of the vessel, indicating an angled strike or deflection while Vessel 1 was traveling from right to left.  The port bow of Vessel 2 showed significant damage to the port bow. The point of impact on Vessel 2 appeared to be just below the port corner of the bow on the port side of the vessel's lifting handle.  Agents observed deep gouging and cuts just to the starboard side of the broken port side lifting handle on the bow of Vessel 2, that appeared to be caused by the bow eye of Vessel 1.  Gouge markings were observed extending from the initial contact with the bow eye and extended down the pressed-in chine of Vessel 2, to another cut, where aluminum was observed curled back and towards the port side of the vessel.  The corner of the port bow of Vessel 2 was observed curled downward and creased at the weld line where the pressed-in chines end.  Another substantial bend in the aluminum of Vessel 2 was observed just above the port side lifting strake, indicating that Vessel 2 ramped upward onto the bow of Vessel 1 and hung at the lifting strake, preventing it from ramping further.  
  
  Given the physical evidence from the damage to both vessels and the direction that both vessels traveled post collision, Operator2 was operating Vessel 2 northbound and to the right of mid-channel on Old River.  Operator2 observed Vessel 1 coming in his direction and made an evasive maneuver to the right, and was struck on the port bow by Vessel 1, whom was traveling left of mid-channel and made an evasive maneuver even further left of mid-channel, indicated by the damage to Vessel 1 just starboard of the center line.  
  
  Alcohol and/or drugs are not suspected as a contributing factor in the incident, however, both Operator1 and Operator2 were advised of their rights per the notice to withdraw blood for chemical test for intoxication form (DPSSP 4617), and voluntarily submitted to the withdrawing of blood to determine the alcoholic content and/or the presence of any abused or controlled dangerous substance in the blood.  Blood samples were drawn by qualified personnel in the presence of Enforcement Agents using a blood collection kit authorized by the Department of Public Safety and Corrections, sealed and mailed to the Louisiana State Police Crime Lab for analysis.  
  
  In conclusion, Operator1 is considered to be the operator at fault by operating his vessel in a careless manner, left of mid-channel.  Contact was made with Operator1 on July 24, 2018, where he was issued a citation for 34:851.4 / Careless Operation of a Vessel (Operate Left of Mid-Channel).
  