RedactedNarrative: On 06/13/2020 Operator1 was operating a green and white 1999 26'' Crownline watercraft (IL registration IL 5180 KT) on Lake Jacksonville at approximately 6:50pm.  Operator1 was attempting to pull victim up on water skis, when Victim decided she wanted to get back into the watercraft.  Operator1 circled Victim (and subject1 who was trying to assist Victim onto the skis in the water) in a counterclockwise maneuver, and began waiting for her to swim up to the back of the watercraft.  
  
  Operator1 was facing west with the engine running and he believed the watercraft was in neutral, while waiting approximately a minute for Victim to swim to the boat.  Operator1 heard someone yell and realized the boat was in reverse, and operating towards Victim.  Operator1 put the boat into neutral and shut off the engine, and boat passengers assisted Victim climb into the boat after she had been struck.  
  
  Victim stated she realized the boat was operating towards her as she swam up towards the rear starboard corner of the watercraft.  Victim advised she attempted to swim to her right to avoid the rear of the watercraft, and also heard someone yell ''Oh my God the boat is going to run her over''.  Victim said she felt the boat hit her and jerk her backwards in the water.  
  
  Victim then advised she pulled herself up onto the rear starboard side of the watercraft, and was assisted into the boat by the passengers.  Victim and Operator1 along with the rest of the passengers realized Victim had been struck by the watercraft propeller causing a deep 5.5" laceration on her lower left leg.  Two passengers attended to Victim''s injury while another called 911, and subject got back on the boat from the water.  Operator1 operated the watercraft to the main boat launch to meet Paramedics and JPD Officer. 
  
  Operator1 admitted to consuming alcoholic beverages while on the watercraft between 2:00pm and the time of Victim''s injury, and add the (6) additional passengers were distracting to his concentration while he operated the watercraft when Victim was struck.  Operator1 also admitted to briefly losing sight of Victim in the water while attempting to pick her up from water skiing, partially due to the large blue swim mat tied to the swim back deck of the watercraft.  Operator1 advised he believed the watercraft was in neutral not in reverse and operating towards Victim, while she attempted to swim up to the boat.  
  
  Victim stated she had also been consuming alcoholic beverages along with the other passengers on the watercraft the day of her injury.  Victim''s blood was not tested for the presence of alcoholic liquor when she was taken the Passavant Area Hospital for her injury.
  
  Passenger was in the rear of the watercraft, and acting as the water skiing observer.  Subejct2 yelled at Operator1 to stop the boat''s engine when he noticed the watercraft was heading directly towards Victim, and approximately 10'' away from her.
  
  Contributing factors to this accident were alcohol impairment, operator inattention and distraction due to the large amount of passengers, and operating too close to a swimmer in the water with an obstructed view\ operator error by believing the watercraft was in neutral.
  
  See Field Report: 2020-4-395-005B for complete investigation.
  