RedactedNarrative: On December 20, 2019 I Officer with Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and Officer received a case from another Officer about a boating accident that had happened on November 3, 2019. At this time, we made contact with the operator of the vessel. We scheduled a time when we could talk to Operator1 in person. We met Operator1 at his home on November 3, 2019 at approximately 4:00 PM. 
  	Before interviewing Operator1, we had him sign a Sworn Statement with Miranda and read him the Miranda rights on the Sworn Statement. During the interview he confirmed that it was his boat that was in the accident and that he was the operator at the time of the accident. He provided us a written statement that he had submitted to his insurance agency immediately after the accident. The statement stated that on November 3, 2019 at approximately 3:45 PM, he was heading south in Sarasota Bay in the intercostal waterway at approximately 35mph, he asked his son who was an occupant on the vessel to get the dog life preserver out of a compartment near the center of the boat. While his son was looking for the dog life preserver Operator1 bent down to assist his son in locating the life preserver, taking his eyes off the water for approximately 6 to 8 seconds. 
  
  	During this time the vessel hit a green channel marker on the front right portion of the vessel moving at approximately 25 to 30 miles per hour. When the boat hit the channel marker Son hit the compartment door and broke his nose on it and shattered the door. None of the other occupants on the vessel where hurt. Operator1 drove the boat directly back to the marina, then drove his son to the Lakewood Ranch Medical Center at approximately 4:45 PM.
  
  	Operator1 said he contacted the insurance company almost immediately after the accident but did not notify law enforcement about the accident. At this point we concluded our interview with Operator1 and took copies of the written statement.
  
  	On December 21, 2019 Officer and I drove to Marine Max Marina on Lido Key. While at the Marine Max Marina we took pictures of Operator1's boat that was being stored there. We noticed significant crush damage to the front starboard side of the boat that struck the channel marker. There was significant fractures both with and without separation to the fiberglass hull along with several scratches and transfer marks all on the starboard side of the vessel. When we looked on the inside of the vessel, we could see the compartment door that victim had collided with breaking his nose. The compartment door was broken into 3 pieces. We photographed all damage to the vessel. 
  
  	On December 23, 2019 I made an appointment to speak with victim by calling his Mother. She agreed to let us meet and talk to him. When we spoke with Son, he told us that he was walking to the front of the boat when his dad asked him to grab the dog’s life preserver. He told us he went to get it out of the compartment under the controls and his dad leaned over to help him. At this time, they crashed, and he hit the compartment door then fell back with a broken nose. We had Son write a sworn statement for us with his mother present. This completed our interview with Son. 
  
  	Based on the statements provided by both Operator1 and Son on December 30, 2019 I issued Operator1 a Uniformed Boating Citation for violation of F.S. 327.33(3) VIOLATION OF NAVIGATION RULES RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT (FIRST OFFENSE). Specifically rule number 5, maintaining proper lookout.
  
  END OF REPORT NO FURTHER ACTION TAKEN AT THIS TIME. 
  