RedactedNarrative: On 9/16/2017 at approximately 10:04 pm I, Officer arrived to a boat accident scene at Arby’s General Store at 8954 Deal Island Road, Wenona MD. I met with assisting Officer who arrived at approximately 9:52 pm and located the operator. Officer pointed to the operator of the vessel. Operator was seen by Somerset County Sheriff in the bar next to Arby’s drinking an alcoholic beverage when they first arrived on scene. He stated he had two drinks but had not had any alcohol to drink before operating his vessel. According to Officer and later confirmed by Operator, two passengers where on the vessel. Victim had sustained a significant laceration to his foot and was enroute to Penensula Regional Medical Center (PRMC) in Salisbury, and Occupant2 was at her residence changing cloths according to Somerset County Sheriffs at the time. 
  
  I began to speak with Operator and it was immediately apparent he had glassy eyes, slurred speech and the strong odor of alcoholic beverage on his breath. When asked about the boat accident that occurred he stated he was returning from Goose Creek Marina Tiki Bar in Rumbly MD and it had become very dark quickly. He stated he was staring at his GPS to find his location going approximately 3 mph when his boat struck the rock jetty, the bow went up the side of the jetty and the transom went underwater. He stated Victim fell onto the rocks and then left to get help by swimming to Arby’s store. When asked again if he had consumed any alcohol at Goose Creek he said he did not because he was driving the boat. 
  
  The vessel Operator was operating that night was a 1997 14 foot T+S Rogue that displayed a valid MD registration MD 9093 BE. He stated it had a 60 HP outboard that he just put on and the transom sat low in the water which he said may have contributed to the stern sinking. He said he keeps the vessel at a slip in Wenona harbor and was familiar with the waters. He stated he misjudged the opening of the jetty that has a shallow channel running through it by 20 feet. I asked him if he used a spotlight at any point and he said he did not have a light. I also asked if he saw the bamboo stakes that mark the channel and he said he did not see anything. Due to the missing occupants who had not yet been questioned, I got a contact number from Operator and advised him I would need to get in contact with him at a later date. I told him to leave his vessel on the rocks until the next day, and he stated he would not do anything until I contacted him. I ensured he had a safe way to get home and he said he had a sober driver to take him home.
  
  I asked Operator where Occupant2s residence was so I could contact her. I was unable to find her so I headed to PRMC in Salisbury where Victim was transported in hopes they were both there. 
  
  At approximately 11:30 pm I located Victim in the ER of PRMC and he greeted me in his room and asking what questions I had for him. I noticed an approximately 5 inch stitched laceration on his right foot and could see many small cuts on his right leg and foot. He said he was feeling ok and had a few scrapes on his right arm as well. I asked about the accident and he said he was sitting on the bow with his feet in the boat, he decided to look forward and saw rocks. He said he yelled rocks and at the same moment flipped backwards out of the vessel landing the rocks. He said his head slid down in the water and Occupant2 grabbed him by his arm. I asked approximately what speed they were going when they hit the jetty and he said 25 mph and then said maybe closer to 15 mph. I asked if the vessel was on plane and he said yes. I asked if he witnessed Operator have any alcoholic drinks that night and he said no. He said Occupant2 and him were at Goose Creek and met up with Operator for about an hour and a half. Then they all decided to take a boat ride to Arby’s for some drinks at the bar. Victim said he was by far the most intoxicated. Victim stated that once on the rocks Operator tried to right the boat but the stern went under water. He said they then pulled the vessel on the rocks as to not lose it under water. Victim then swam to Arby’s to get help and once on land he requested someone call 911.
  
  Occupant2 arrived at PRMC at approximately midnight, and after checking Victim’s condition I asked if I could speak with her and get a written statement. I immediately asked if Operator had been drinking at Goose Creek before operating and she said yes he had but did not know how much. I also asked how fast they were going and she said approximately 15 mph. She said she was at Arby’s when I was questioning Operator and overheard him say 3 mph and said that was not true. Occupant2 said they hit the rocks so hard it felt like hitting a concrete wall. Both Occupant2 and Victim seemed very hesitant to give information that may incriminate Operator. I asked for a little more details about the boat ride. Occupant2 stated that at Goose Creek Operator fell out of his vessel while they attempted to board. Occupant2 said she had to help him back onboard his boat. I asked both of them if they felt safe on the vessel with Operator operating. They stated they would not have boarded the vessel if they didn’t have confidence in Operator. Occupant2 said she had dated Operator in the past and been out before on the boat with him before and that he knew the waters well. Victim said he would rather I come by the next day to make a written statement. I left as the nurse was releasing Victim from the ER. Victim and Occupant2 both exited the ER on foot.
  
  On 9/17/2017 at approximately 4:15 pm I took a NRP vessel out to take pictures of the boat accident. The vessel was nowhere to be found. I spoke with a waterman near Arby’s and he stated that Operator removed the boat from the water around 7:30 to 8:00 am with the assistance of a jet ski that morning and put the boat on a trailer. Despite being told not to move the vessel until I told him he could. I attempted to call Operator and the call went straight to voicemail, which had no mailbox set up. I left from my vessel and drove to Operator residence. His vessel was on a trailer in the drive way but he was not at the residence. 
  
  At approximately 5:50 pm on 9/17/2017 I went to Victim and Occupant2s residence. Victim was willing to make a written statement and I asked a few more questions about his health and condition. They both stated they had not spoken with Operator.  Occupant2 said she recovered her purse she had lost the night before down at Arby’s Store. The assisting jet ski operator who assisted Operator salvage his vessel found it floating near the jetty. Occupant2 did have damage to prescription drugs that were in her purse but they were later replaced at no cost. I reviewed both Victim and Occupant2’s written statements and their story had changed regarding the speed of the boat collision. Occupant2 stated the vessel was at idle speed and Victim stated 5 to 10 mph. I asked them why it changed from the night before and they said it was not going as fast as they thought. They did however state the boat was cruising and they had not come off of plane before the collision. 
  
  On 10/5/2017 at approximately 5:00 pm I  meet with operator at his residence to further clarify the details of the boat accident and issue appropriate citations. I asked operator if he had any alcoholic beverages to drink prior to operating his vessel on 9/16/2017 before the accident and he admitted he had one cocktail and a sip of a shot he did not care for. He denied falling overboard at Goose Creek as Occupant2 described earlier at the hospital. Operator also explained he admitted to looking at his GPS on his boat and not keeping a proper lookout ahead of him. He said the lights in the harbor were blinding and he did not see anything before…
  