RedactedNarrative: SYNOPSIS
  
  On July 10, 2022, at approximately 1547 hours, operator and passenger crossed the wake of another vessel, causing passenger to be ejected from the vessel, and the vessel direction to change, causing a collision between the vessel and retaining wall. Both Operator and Passenger sustained injuries from the incident. Both were admitted to Carlsbad Medical Center and released after inspection. Vessel is assumed to be no longer operable. CPD did the initial investigation and provided an Agency Assist Report. 
  
  NARRATIVE
  
  On July 10, 2022, at approximately 1547 hours, operator and passenger crossed the wake of another vessel, causing Passenger to be ejected from the personal watercraft, and the PWC direction to change, causing a collision between the PWC and retaining wall. Both Operator and Passenger sustained injuries from the incident. Both were taken to Carlsbad Medical Center and released after observation. The PWC is assumed to be no longer operable. CPD did the initial investigation and provided an Agency Assist Report. 
  
  I was notified of a boating accident at Lake Carlsbad by Park Ranger Supervisor on July 10, 2022. I arrived at the location of the PWC crash in full uniform, and in a fully marked police unit at approximately 1757 hours. I was met by Cpl. 1 of Carlsbad Police Department. We entered the property owned by Witness. Cpl. 1 showed me the location of the PWC and where the collision of the PWC and the retaining wall occurred. While at the site of the collision, Cpl. 1 told me the information he had gathered from his investigation, and I took photographs of the location and PWC. The PWC had sustained heavy damage to the bow. When I approached the scene I could see that approximately the first 24" of bow was broken from the PWC, the seat was removed from the PWC, and the posterior portion of the PWC was submerged in the water. It appears that the PWC impacted the wall head-on, as there are no indentations, scratches, or other signs of damage down the port or starboard sides of the PWC. Non-vessel damage includes that to the Styrofoam padding on the side of the retaining wall and paint transfer from the PWC to concrete of retaining wall. Before leaving, Witness met with Cpl. 1 and me. He informed us that he had a camera that faced the direction of the PWC collision and would attempt to collect the footage for us.
  
  I left the site of the collision to Carlsbad Medical Center, where Operator and Passenger were brought after the collision. When I arrived, Operator had already been discharged, and Passenger was still at the hospital. I proceeded to room 3, where Passenger was located, to speak with her about the incident. She stated that they were headed west to east on Lake Carlsbad. She said there was another PWC that was heading the opposite direction of them on their left. Passenger said that when they were crossing the wake, she fell off the PWC and hit the water pretty hard. She said she had pain in her left-outer ankle that she believes struck the PWC as she was ejected. She also said she had pain in her lower and middle back that she believes was caused by the impact of the water. When asked if they were wearing life jackets and whether there was any alcohol involved, Passenger said that they had not consumed any alcoholic beverages and that they were wearing their life jackets. I asked Passenger if she knew if she or Operator had taken a boating education course. She replied no. I provided her with a New Mexico Boating Laws and State Park Regulations booklet. I explained to her that it is required by law that anyone who is going to operate a motorized vessel and is born on or after January 1, 1989 is required to take a boating education course, and that they are free courses. 
  
  After speaking with Passenger I went to the address provided by Cpl. 1 to speak to Operator. When I arrived the house there was no longer inhabited. I called the number for the owner, Operator's mother. I met Owner at her residence where she provided me with the her NM driver's license, and the registration and insurance for the PWC. From there we went to Operator's apartment. There I spoke to Operator about the incident. 
  
  Operator said that they were not there for very long at Lake Carlsbad before the collision happened. She said she was unsure of the direction of travel until after I showed her the area on a map she said they were traveling west to east. She said they were going straight when the other PWC heading in the opposite direction passed by them. She said that Passenger had fallen off of the PWC when they hit the wake created by the other PWC. After Passenger fell off, she said she did not remember what happened. I asked them whether she had any alcohol to drink and she said no. She also said that they were wearing their life jackets during the time of the collision. Operator provided me with the life jackets so that I could inspect them for U.S. Coast Guard approval. Both life jackets were USCG approved and both numbers were recorded in the injury information section of this report. With Operator's birthdate and her age being 19, I asked her if she has had any training or education in boating safety and operations. She replied, that she has had informal training and that she has never been through a mandatory boating course of any kind. She has said she has operated a vessel a handful of times. I informed her of the requirements of the State of New Mexico that any operator born on or after January 1, 1989 must take a mandatory boater education coarse prior to operating a vessel. I provided her with a copy of the New Mexico Boating Laws and State Park Regulations booklet. I informed her prior to her operating another motorized watercraft that she has to complete one of the boating courses, which are free. 
  
  The following morning I received a video from Cpl. 1 from Witness's surveillance. After watching the video it shows a PWC heading east to west a little prior to Operator and Passenger entering the camera shot. As Operator and Passenger are moving east to west, they cross the wake. While crossing the wake, and the PWC turns to the right, Passenger is thrown from the PWC. After the PWC turns to the right, headed south, and is headed towards the retaining wall, it looks as though Operator attempts to turn the PWC to the left, back east, before hitting the wall. When she hits the wall it appears that she is propelled forward, hitting the steering wheel, and then her body bounced off of the steering wheel to the right of the PWC several feet. In the video, after the wake created by the PWC operated by Operator settles, you can see Passenger floating in the water near the center of the channel. From the video it appears as though Operator was operating the PWC at a speed greater than the posted 35 mph speed limit on Lake Carlsbad. 
  
  Through my investigation I have determined that Operator was at fault for the collision by excessive speed and lack of Mandatory Boating Education Course Certification.