RedactedNarrative: On Saturday June 6, 2015 at approximately 7:22pm Conservation Police Officers (CPO) were on boat patrol on Rend Lake.  It was at this time that we were advised, (via radio) of a boat that appeared to be sinking near the Dam West access area.  We immediately responded to the area to find the boat.  
  
  As we arrived we could see that a pontoon boat operator had stopped to lend assistance to an open motor boat that was nearly submerged in the water.  The boat being towed was full of water and the water line was near the top of the gunwale.  All of the occupants of the boat had been safely transferred to the pontoon boat as it made its way to the Dam West dock/launch area.  I could see the open motorboat bore Illinois registration number IL8645GK.  CPO dropped me off at the dock as the boat was pulled in and I located the operator/owner of the boat, and all of his passengers.  I was told that the only injury was to a small boys hand.  I spoke with the boys mother, who told me when the boat began to sink she reached back for her son, whom was seated directly behind her.  Mom told me that her sons hand got pinched between a cooler lid handle and the cooler as she fell backwards.  No ambulance was requested and Mom told me they would take him to a medical care center later. 
  
  I then spoke to operator about the accident.  Operator told me that he had been having some engine troubles and he was trying to get the motor started about 100 yards east of the Dam West launch area.  Operator told me he went to throttle up on the motor once he had it started and the bow raised up, when he began to drive the boat forward the motor shut off abruptly and the bow nosed down rapidly.  Operator said a wave of water came over the front end of the boat and they began to sink. It was at this time that the pontoon boat operator came over to them and Operator entered the water to assist in securing his boat to be towed in.  I asked Operator to point out the persons who had been on his boat when it sank.  Operator pointed out all of the passengers, which totalled (7) seven.  I could see some alcohol bottles floating in the boat and I asked Operator if he had been drinking and he told me that he had not had any alcohol, but most of his passengers had been drinking.  CPO who also had arrived, administered a Portable Breath Test to Operator.  Operator blew 0.00% on the PBT.  Operator''s trailer was then brought to the scene and the boat was removed from the water. I spoke with each passenger as this was being completed.
  
  I then completed a boat safety compliance check on Operator''s boat.  I asked Operator for his wearable life jackets.  Operator could only produce two wearable jackets.  I observed the capacity plate for the boat was only 5 persons.  I explained to Operator that had had to have a wearable life jacket for everyone on the boat and he was only allowed to have 5 persons on the boat at any one time.  Operator was able to produce a fire extinguisher, whistle, and throwable device, however his battery terminals were not covered.  It should be noted that one of the small children on the boat did have a life jacket on, however the infant did not have any on or available.
  
  Accident Findings Conclusion;
  The boat was overloaded, and a secondary issue was the engine failure.  The watercraft is rated for only 5 persons, and 8 persons were on board when the boat  got swamped.  Operator stated he got the motor running and the bow raised out of the water, I learned that three adult passengers were seated in the open bow area and when the boat abruptly stopped the bow fell down rapidly, with the additional weight in the front of the boat it caused the bow to nose more heavily than normal causing the swamping of water to enter the boat.  The water conditions were relatively calm, however Operator did say he hit a wave as the motor stoppe...
   