RedactedNarrative: On May 15, 2021, officers were on boat patrol in the area of the Ocean City inlet in Isle of Wight Bay.  At approximately 1620 hours I was heading north under the Route 50 Bridge when I observed Ocean City Police and EMS running down the dock at Under Da Bridge Watersports located at 312 Talbot St, Ocean City.  They boarded a pontoon boat that was tied to the dock and at this time I turned my vessel around and pulled up to the dock as well.  As I approached the pontoon boat bearing registration MD 7343 LB I contacted DNR dispatch and advised my location and that I would be out with that vessel.  As I pulled up to the vessel I could see what appeared to be blood on the starboard stern part of the deck of the pontoon boat.  There were multiple individuals on the vessel including OCPD and EMS and several individuals moving up and down the dock.  At this time I observed a female on board the vessel that had been placed onto an EMS backboard and one of the EMS personnel advised she had been struck by the propeller of the pontoon boat.  EMS advised she was struck on the lower left leg below the knee.  I then contacted DNR dispatch and advised that there had been boating accident with injury and that OCPD and EMS were already on scene.  I also contacted another officer who was on duty in the area to respond to my location.
  
  EMS were able to provide me with the victim's Driver's License before leaving in the ambulance.  The victim was identified as VICTIM 1.  EMS advised they would be evacuating her by helicopter due to the nature of the injury.  At this time I began gathering information from the passengers of the vessel and collecting identification for all individuals who were on board the vessel at the time of the accident.  After speaking with several passengers I discovered that the operator of the vessel and several of the other passengers were no longer on scene. I explained to the remaining passengers that all persons that had been on board needed to return to provide statements immediately.  At this time MNRP also arrived on scene and began assisting with collecting information from passengers.  We provided all passengers NRP 425A forms (Victim/Witness Statements) to fill out.  Several minutes later the operator of the vessel and remaining passengers were located and returned to the scene.  MNRP began speaking with the operator of the vessel who was identified as OPERATOR 1.  MNRP advised me that he would conduct Standardized Field Sobriety Tests on OPERATOR 1 due to the nature of the accident and he had noticed an odor of alcoholic beverages on OPERATOR 1's breath. There were multiple open containers of "White Claw" alcoholic beverages aboard the vessel and the passengers all had strong odors of alcohol coming from their breath and clothing.  After MNRP conducted field sobriety it was determined that OPERATOR 1 had consumed some alcohol but was below the legal limit and not in violation of operating a vessel under the influence of alcohol. 
  
  After all passengers had completed the NRP 425A forms, we also had OPERATOR 1 complete the form.  According to the passengers and OPERATOR 1, the rental vessel was taken to Seacrets restaurant/bar where the group had spent some time and consumed some alcohol.  When leaving Seacrets, OPERATOR 1 determined that the two authorized operators, VICTIM 1 and another occupant were not capable of safely operating the vessel.  OPERATOR 1 stated he had not consumed very much alcohol and felt he should operate the vessel to take it back to Under Da Bridge Watersports.  Soon after leaving Seacrets the vessel hit a sandbar which brought the vessel to a slow stop.  Several passengers jumped in the water at this time to urinate and help push the vessel off the sandbar.  After all passengers had got back on board except VICTIM 1, OPERATOR 1 re-started the motor; unaware that VICTIM 1 was still in the water near the motor.  At this time VICTIM 1's left leg was struck by the propeller.  Other passengers on board immediately brought VICTIM 1 on board the vessel and applied pressure to the wounds with a towel and tied a shirt around her leg to act as a tourniquet.  The group then called 911 and advised the situation and also contacted Under Da Bridge Watersports.  They were told EMS would be waiting for their arrival.
  After speaking with all passengers and reading the vessel rental agreement provided by Under Da Bridge Watersports it was determined that OPERATOR 1 was not permitted to operate the vessel and that the only authorized operators were OCCUPANT 1 and the VICTIM 1.  It was also discovered that after leaving the rental company the group had picked up additional passengers that were not on the passenger manifest and therefore violating the carrying capacity of the vessel.  Initially there were 12 passengers when the vessel was rented and when the vessel returned there were 14.  There were not enough PFD's on board for the additional passengers.  Based on the nature of injury and the violation of rental terms I advised OCCUPANT 1 she would be receiving a citation for a violation of rental terms of a livery vessel.  I also advised OPERATOR 1 that I would be issuing him a citation for negligent operation of the vessel for failing to keep the engine powered off while individuals were in the water near the motor. 
  On 5/18/21 I made contact with the victim, VICTIM 1 to follow up and check on how she was doing.  VICTIM 1 advised she was currently at University of Maryland Shock Trauma waiting to be released hopefully that same day.  She stated that she was initially flown to Tidal Health hospital in Salisbury and received 1 surgery on Saturday 5/15 and was transported to UMD Shock Trauma on 5/16 by ambulance where she received additional treatment and surgeries.  She said that she had 2 lacerations from the propeller on her lower left leg near her calf, but that there was no significant bone or nerve damage.  Her description of what happened matched what the other passengers stated on their statements. 
  All events occurred in Worcester County, MD.
  