RedactedNarrative: On Saturday, June 16, 2018 at approximately 10:47 p.m., I (Ofc. of the Maryland Natural Resources Police) received a call from Sgt., asking me to respond to the Cobb Island boat station, for a report of a runaway vessel. At approximately 11:44 p.m., I arrived at the Cobb Island boat station. Once onscene, I met up with Cpl. and was told that the Charles County Fire and Rescue vessel had the runaway vessel secured and was currently towing it back to the pier. I received the vessel registration from the Charles County Fire and Rescue personnel. When I ran the vessel registration, MD4289CD, it came back to a 2010 13ft Boston Whaler.
  
   I than located the vehicle that was used to tow the vessel, a 2001 Ford F250, Maryland registration 5CX9306. When the Charles County Fire and Rescue vessel got to the pier with the runaway vessel, we noticed red paint scraps along the port bow of the vessel. The red scraps along the portside appeared to me as if the vessel ran into a red marker buoy in the Potomac River. At approximately 12:45 a.m., on June 17, 2018, we were notified that there was two individuals onboard the vessel. 
  
  Cpl and I then proceeded to get underway on NRP 724 from the Cobb Island boat station, to see if we could locate a red marker buoy that had damage to it. Cpl and I located a buoy, the red nun-buoy #20 (Latitude North 30* 14.515 X Longitude West 076* 51.916) in the Kettle Bottom Shoals channel with damage. We passed that information on to Sgt and Charles County Fire and Rescue. We then proceeded to Swan Point to conduct a shore line search from Swan Point, Maryland to Colton's Point, Maryland. Sgt then contacted us to come back to the pier to trailer the 13ft Boston Whaler and bring it to the sub-station in Waldorf, Maryland. Once we got to the pier, Cpl got his patrol vehicle and we connected the trailer to his vehicle. We then proceeded to load the 13ft Boston Whaler. Cpl departed the area with the vessel in tow, in-route for Waldorf, Maryland. At approximately 6:22 a.m., I received word from Charles County Fire and Rescue that they got two positive hits on the side scan sonar in the vicinity of the Kettle Bottom Shoals red #20 buoy. 
  I proceeded to get underway and head to that location, and notified Sgt of the situation. At approximately 7:50 a.m., Charles County Dive Team had recovered one of the missing boaters. At approximately 9:10 a.m., I followed the Charles County Fire Boat #6 back into Cobb Island to Scuttlebutt Marina. I proceeded to the Captain John's Pier, where I was relieved by Ofc. Major.This investigation has been turned over to Cpl. of the Maryland Natural Resources Police Investigative Unit. All events occurred in Charles County Maryland 
  
  On June 17, 2018 at approximately 0630 hours I, Cpl. arrived at the Waldorf Office for Natural Resources Police off Substation road. I met Cpl who was towing Maryland vessel 4289 CD. Said vessel was involved in a vessel accident on June 16, 2018. Said vessel was found unoccupied and driving in circles. It was confirmed by Ofc. that the registrant and his brother, were fishing in the area of Cobb Island on the night of the 16th. 
  Family members informed Ofc. that Victim1 and Victim2 went fishing and had called at approximately 2130 hours on the 16th. Victim1 and Victim2 said they were done fishing and on their way back to the boat ramp at Cobb Island. Charles County Fire and Rescue were notified of the vessel circling uncontrollably further down the Potomac River. Fire and Rescue stated that the navigation lights could be observed. Fire and Rescue needed to lasso the vessel to stop its movement. I surveyed the vessel and made note of its contents. A list of contents is attached to this report. I surveyed the vessel and noted damage to the bow and the port side of the vessel. 
  I believe the vessel impacted an object on the port bow. The object left red transfer paint on the port rub rail, below the rub rail, and on the port chine. The chine damage started about midship and continued to the transom. A bench seat behind the helm was knocked aft. The steering wheel was bent. The all around light was knocked down, said to be damage from fire boat stopping the vessel. I was informed by Cpl that while searching for the occupants they located a nun buoy #20 with a white mark. The officers believe that the vessel struck buoy #20. I believe the impact knocked the occupants aft, breaking the bench seat and ejected them out of the vessel.
  Weather: Dahlgren, VA weather station NCDV2 is approximately 10 miles Northwest from the accident. 2100 hrs Wind-Southeast with 4 kts and gust of 5 kts. High tide-1802, Low tide-0021. 2300 hrs. Wind-Southeast with 2 kts. and gust of 5 kts. Piney Point, MD weather station PPTM2 is approximately 20 mile Southeast from the accident. 2100 hrs Wind-South with 10 kts with gust of 12 kts. High tide-1725, Low tide-2302. 2300 hrs. Wind-South with 12 kts with gust of 13 kts.
  On scene at 2300 the search and rescue vessels stated that seas were choppy at 2 feet. After 2330 the seas calmed down. Family informed this officer that Victim1 fished in the area quite often. Victim1 would come to fish at least once a week during the summer. The family said that Victim1 would fish anywhere from Cobb Island to the Route 301 Bridge. I found record that Victim1 fished in the Patuxent River as well. Victim1 had owned the 13 foot Boston Whaler for approximately eight years. Victim1 did not have a boaters safety certificate, but was not required to have one. 
  There was three type II wearable PFDs on the vessel and one type IV throwable. The kill switch for the engine was clipped to the keys and not engaged. The switch for the navigational lights was on "Anchor", but all the light were functioning. The all around light was mounted forward and to the right of the operator. The Garmin GPS was mounted on the right of the helm. The GPS was recovered in the forward bow of the vessel. The GPS functioned. I could not download information off the unit but copied the coordinates off the unit. I also photographed what appeared to be the last route on the unit. I entered the coordinates onto Google Earth. The marks come back to an area in Montgomery County, Maryland. One location I recorded as a possible impact point came back as launch area on the Patuxent River. I can not for certain tell the direction of travel that the vessel was taking before striking the buoy on the night of the 16th. 
  From the information given, it is possible that Victim1 and Victim2 were fishing anywhere from the Virginia shoreline, the Route 301 Bridge, and further down the Potomac River. It is believed they launch at Captain John's. A witness contacted this officer stating he recall two males leaving Neale Sound on plane and standing in a small Boston Whaler.  HE said the two were headed toward the Potomac River on the Wicomico River side. This route is on the East side of Cobb Island. If the vessel was returning the same route as it went out then the brother may have been fishing upstream on the Potomac River. Buoy #20 is unlit, the green buoys on up and down stream are lit. I believe if the seas were two foot while the brothers were returning, it may be possible that they were operating at a slower speed, like 10 to 15 knots. A slower speed would cause the bow to ride higher. The operator, maybe Victim1, would have to stand to navigate the vessel. If standing it is possible the all around light would obstruct the view of the operator.  Both subjects had been drinking.