RedactedNarrative: On 4/12/2015, I, Officer of the Florida Fish and Wildlife, was dispatched to a call at approximately 12:00 AM in reference to a vessel that struck a channel marker and the operator  of the vessel was possibly intoxicated. 
  
  I arrived at Demon’s Landing boat ramp at approximately 12:30 AM and waited for the Coast Guard (USCG) while they were towing the vessel into port. Upon arrival, I spoke with Operator and noticed there was dried blood on his left ear. I asked if he needed any medical attention, and he said he was fine. 
  
  USCG and I conducted a boating safety inspection on Operator’s vessel (FL 1920 MH). Operator possessed all required safety equipment on his vessel. Operator was bought onto the USCG vessel for questioning. 
  
  Operator was read his Miranda Rights and filled out a sworn witness statement. Operator said, he launched his vessel from Crisp Park boat ramp and headed towards Manatee County at approximately 2:00 PM. He was heading to Anna Maria Island to meet with a friend, got lost, and arrived at approximately 4:00 PM. Operator and his friend went out on the boat and recreated around the area of Passage Key (Island between Egmont Key and Bean Point in Manatee County). While on the vessel, Operator admitted to eating food, consuming alcohol and water. Operator dropped his friend off and starting heading back to Pinellas County at approximately 8:00-9:00 PM. 
  
  Operator said, he had a working GPS on his vessel that was turned on, but was displaying depth and not channel markers. Operator said, his navigation lights were operational and activated while the vessel was being operated. Operator was following the Skyway shipping channel to transit back to Crisp Park boat ramp, traveling at approximately 35 MPH. Operator looked down to check his gauges, which he said he regularly does to insure normal operations of his vessel’s systems, and upon looking up saw a channel marker off his bow. Operator turned hard to port trying to avoid the channel marker. 
  
  The starboard side of Operator’s vessel struck the 5A green floating can channel marker (Approximately at N27-39.123 / W82-36.591) in the Skyway shipping channel leaving a large gash in Operator’s hull and a transfer of green paint. The rubber strip around Operator’s gunwale was cut . As Operator’s vessel kept traveling forward, Operator’s prop made contact with the channel marker leaving cut marks on the blades of Operator’s prop. Operator said his motor was still running, but could not put it into gear. It was later seen that his prop was pulled 1/4 of the way out of the lower unit and the shaft appeared to be bent. The 5A channel marker received minor damage in the form of prop scars across the left hand side. The 5A remained at its location and operational. 
  
  Operator noticed that his vessel started to take on water. Operator turned on his bilge pump and sent out a MAYDAY call over the marine VHF radio to the USCG. The USCG responded to Operator’s MAYDAY call and towed his vessel back to Demon’s Landing boat ramp. 
  
  Through my observations of Operator, I saw no signs of impairment despite his admission of drinking alcohol that day. Subject performed Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus (HGN) on Operator, in which neither saw any signs of impairment. 
  
  The USCG gathered phones numbers for Operator of tow services that he could use to get his vessel to Crisp Park boat ramp. Operator decided to call a friend and have him tow his vessel back to Crisp Park boat ramp. 
  
  Later that day, Officer and I went to Operator home to take photographs of the vessel, and ask some follow up questions. Photographs were taken and additional information was recorded. Operator was again asked if he sustained any injuries and he said he cut his left ear and bruised his right elbow. Operator said he was fine though and had no serious injuries or pains. 
  
  Operator was issued 2 written warning.