RedactedNarrative: Prelude:
       members of a miniature hydroplane association were conducting annual watercraft testing. A member was operating his watercraft at a high rate of speed out of sight of the group. Other members heard his engine stop running and he was found floating face down in the water next to his watercraft.
  
  Details of investigation/incident:
       on may 22, at, or about 1:20 p.m. i was contacted by vigo county sheriff's deputy lieutenant. Lt. Advised that there had been a boat crash causing serious bodily injury to the operator and could result in death. The crash occurred on lazy-l-lake in west terre haute, in vigo county, indiana. 
       he advised a boat enthusiast group was hosting a boat testing event prior to the racing season. He stated that one of the operators went out of sight from the rest of the group behind an island. Witnesses heard the engine stop running immediately. They found the operator in the water next to his boat. He stated indiana conservation officer was at the scene and performed cpr on the victim. The victim was then transported to region hospital in terre haute. 
       i arrived at lazy-l-lake and met with lt. And off duty indiana conservation officer. Officer was also there testing his own mini hydroplane boat. He explained to me that the american power boat association (apba) was holding an annual weekend boat testing event prior to the beginning of the summer racing season. Members would drive their boats, tune the engines, and fine tune steering controls, etc. He showed me the mini hydroplane belonging to the victim that was resting on a wheeled cart near the water's edge.
       officer pointed out the noticeable damage to the boat and helmet. The operator's helmet was resting on the gunwale of the boat. I observed the following areas that appeared to be damaged presumably related to the high-speed boating crash:
  
  "	port side sponson strip of wood on the tunnel side; separated from the sponson
  "	cockpit plexiglass windshield cracked, broken, and scuffed
  "	vinyl edging around windshield peeled back no longer in place
  "	steering wheel - top portion bent forward
  "	dual metal mufflers - significant portion of bottom side of lower bell bent inward over 50%
  "	dual metal mufflers - small potion of top side of same lower bell bent inward 
  "	propeller was removed from lower unit and not observed - witnesses all advised no damage to propeller observed
  "	tiedown rope for outboard lower unit frayed and severed
  "	helmet displayed black scuff marks on center top side
  "	helmet vinyl face edging dislodged around edge of face opening
  "	helmet vinyl neck edging dislodged around neck opening
  
       lt. Had previously taken statements from witnesses regarding the details leading up to and following the crash. Officer stated that he had observed the operator of the boat, hereinafter referred to as operator, launch and operator toward a set of buoys toward the west end of the lake. He stated that he watched him rev up the engine and the let off the accelerator before accelerating and making the turn around the buoy. He rounded the buoy picking up speed traveling toward the east end of the lake. The distance between the west buoy and the east end of the lake was approximately 400 yards where the crash occurred. 
       according to officer, operator had gone out of sight of the group behind an island. It was reported that his engine then went silent. He stated that a 'pickup' boat operator went out to the area and promptly returned. He could tell by the pickup boat operator's actions that there was an emergency. He and witness, a registered nurse, got in the pickup boat and went out behind the south side of the island. 
       he stated he observed operator floating face up in the water next to his overturned mini hydroplane. He and witness jumped out of the pickup boat and pulled him to the shore where he removed his helmet, including his hans device. Witness and he performed cpr on operator. They continued until he was transported. 
       i gathered a group of boat operators several of whom stated they had 40 years' experience each, racing and working on mini hydroplane boats and motors. I conducted a digitally recorded interview with the men. I recorded each of their names, addresses, telephone numbers and dates of birth. 
       individual 1 stated he was the driver of the pickup boat. He stated the pickup boat was an aluminum jon boat that was on the shore in front of his boat trailer. Individual 2 stated that when he heard victim's boat engine stop it was cause for concern, but not necessarily an emergency as the crash had not been visible to any of the group. He immediately walked down to the boat and went to the island. He stated he had observed his boat upside down in the water. He stated that operator was face down in the water immediately next to the boat. He said he approached him and shook him while calling his name. He stated he realized he needed help and returned to the north shore for help. 
       i noted an inconsistency with the his statement that victim was floating face down and individual 2's statement that he was floating face up when they returned. On may 27, 2021 contacted him by telephone, and he was aware of the inconsistent observations. He stated that believed that he was either mistaken on his first observation or that victim may have been on his side and it made it unclear his exact position. He did state that he believed that his head was turned to the side on his first observation. 
       the men explained the mechanics of the boat to me and what the damage on the boat did or did not indicate in terms of what may have occurred. The group of men relayed scenarios for each piece of evidence of damage to the boat. 
       the discussion revealed no obvious evidence of mechanical failure that would have led to a catastrophic event. The group advised that had the boat struck a fixed or floating object in the water there would be visible evidence, if not devastating damage to the boat. They commented that the broken portion of the sponson on the port side was minimal compared to the damage that would be evident if the boat had struck a fixed or floating object in the water. Neither fixed nor floating obstructions were noted in the area of the crash by any of the boat operators. 
       the noted damage to the boat is consistent and lends itself to a sudden stop of the boat causing the driver to be thrown forward into the steering wheel and windshield. The damage on the muffler indicates the bottom side of the muffler bell struck a hard surface with great force.    
       scuff marks on top of the operator's helmet are consistent with a dark colored object striking the top of the helmet. The muffler was painted black and there was no evidence of any other object in the water which the muffler could have struck other than the top of the helmet. Damage to vinyl strip around the face and neck portion of the helmet is consistent with the helmet being forced under the water with great force.  
       the frayed and broken tiedown rope is consistent the lower unit of the motor striking an object with great force causing the lower unit of the motor to raise up. This is consistent with the broken tiedown rope. 
       the group stated that the boat's speed at the time of the crash could have been as fast as 80 mph to 90 mph. The weather of the day was clear to partly cloudy and no breeze earlier in the day to light breeze in the afternoon. There was n