DETAILS OF INVESTIGATION/INCIDENT:                   
(MAY 28, 2023, AT 5:28 PM)                
I, INDIANA CONSERVATION OFFICER (ICO) 1, WAS ON PATROL IN ST JOSEPH COUNTY WHEN I RECEIVED INFORMATION FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES DISPATCH ABOUT A BOAT ACCIDENT ON THE ST JOSEPH RIVER IN ST JOSEPH COUNTY. THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED AT WYLAND'S MARINA LOCATED AT 13100 JEFFERSON BLVD, MISHAWAKA, IN 46545 AT APPROXIMATELY 1:20 PM. I ARRIVED ON SCENE AT APPROXIMATELY 2:00 PM.         
                 
I SPOKE TO V2 OWNER, THE OWNER OF THE DOCKED BOAT THAT WAS STRUCK. V2 OWNER SHOWED ME WHERE HIS BLUE 2022 GODFREY SWEETWATER PONTOON WAS DOCKED. V2 OWNER'S PONTOON WAS DOCKED IN THE WATER ON THE ST JOSEPH RIVER NEXT TO AN EMPTY SLIP. V2 OWNER EXPLAINED TO ME THAT AN EMPLOYEE (NOT ON SCENE) OF THE MARINA WITNESSED AN OLDER RUNABOUT STYLE BOAT THAT WAS DOCKED NEXT TO V2 OWNER'S BOAT. V2 OWNER SUSPECTED THAT WHEN THE OTHER BOAT LEFT IT STRUCK HIS PONTOON. I TOOK PHOTOS OF THE DAMAGED REAR LADDER AND PROP. THE DOCK WHERE V2 OWNER WAS TIED OFF TO WAS ALSO DAMAGED. THE POLES TO THE DOCK WERE BENT AND THE DOCK WAS OUT OF ALIGNMENT. V2 OWNER EXPLAINED TO ME THAT THE EMPLOYEE STATED THAT THE RUNABOUT DOCKED THERE OVERNIGHT AFTER HAVING MECHANICAL ISSUES AND WAS NOT PERMITTED TO BE THERE. THE EMPLOYEE STATED THAT A BLACK CHEVY COLORADO PARKED NEAR THE RUNABOUT AND THE OCCUPANTS OF THAT VEHICLE REPAIRED THE RUNABOUT AND LEFT THE SCENE AFTER WRECKING INTO HIS BOAT.      
      
I MADE CONTACT WITH THE ORIGINAL CALLER OVER THE PHONE, WITNESS, WHO IS EMPLOYED AT THE MARINA. WITNESS STATED THAT ANOTHER EMPLOYEE SAW A BLUE 1968 EVINRUDE FIBERGLASS HULL RUNABOUT STYLE BOAT WITH MICHIGAN REGISTRATION LEAVE THE SCENE AFTER THE ACCIDENT AND HEAD WEST TOWARDS ASH ROAD BRIDGE. HE DETERMINED THAT THEY MAY TRY AND TRAILER THE BOAT AT THE BOAT RAMP LOCATED AT ASH ROAD BRIDGE AND DROVE OVER THERE. HE WITNESSED A RUNABOUT BEING TOWED OUT OF THE RAMP ON A TRAILER WITH A COVER ON AND LEAVE NORTH ON ASH ROAD. HE WAS NOT SURE IF THIS WAS THE SAME RUNABOUT IN QUESTION.      
                 
         
(MAY 28, 2023, AT 11:45 AM)        
I WAS ABLE TO GET A REGISTERED OWNER AND ADDRESS TO THE CHEVY COLORADO. THE COLORADO IS REGISTERED TO V1 OPERATOR AND WAS ABLE TO TALK TO HER AT HER HOME. V1 OPERATOR ADMITTED TO BEING THE OPERATOR OF THE BOAT THAT STRUCK V2 OWNER'S PONTOON. V1 OPERATOR SHOWED ME HER BOAT, A 1968 EVINRUDE RUNABOUT WITH MICHIGAN REGISTRATION ON THE HULL. SHE DID HAVE A VALID INDIANA REGISTRATION FOR THE BOAT, BUT DID NOT UPDATE THE NUMBERS ON THE HULL TO THE CORRECT INDIANA REGISTRATION CHARACTERS.     
      
V1 OPERATOR STATED THAT THE NIGHT BEFORE THE ACCIDENT, HER BOAT BROKE DOWN NEAR THE MARINA AND WOULD NOT START. SHE DOCKED HER BOAT IN AN EMPTY SLIP ON THE MARINA'S DOCKS AND RETURNED THE NEXT DAY. SHE GOT HER BOAT STARTED THE NEXT DAY AND WHEN SHE BACKED OUT OF THE DOCK, THE CURRENT PUSHED HER INTO V2 OWNER'S PONTOON. V1 OPERATOR'S BOAT HAD DAMAGE TO THE REAR PORT SIDE OF HER BOAT. A BROKEN PIECE OF RUBBER OFF THE TRIM RAIL, SCRATCHES ON ALUMINUM REAR CORNER TRIM, AND A SCRATCH TO THE FIBERGLASS HULL.      
      
I ASKED V1 OPERATOR IF SHE CONTACTED ANYONE TO REPORT THE ACCIDENT. V1 OPERATOR STATED THAT SHE LEFT A VOICEMAIL WITH THE MARINA ABOUT THE BOAT ACCIDENT BUT DID NOT CONTACT LAW ENFORCEMENT. SHE SHOWED ME A SCREEN SHOT OF HER CALL LOGS WHERE SHE CONTACTED WYLAND'S MARINA AT 11:49 AM AND LEFT A MESSAGE. V1 OPERATOR GAVE ME HER PHONE NUMBER, SO I COULD CHECK WITH WYLAND'S MARINA'S VOICEMAIL SYSTEM.      
      
(JUNE 1, 2023, AT 10:00 AM)     
I SPOKE TO WYLAND'S MARINA. WYLAND'S MARINA WAS ABLE TO PROVIDE ME WITH A RECORDING HE TOOK OF V1 OPERATOR'S VOICEMAIL SHE LEFT. THE VOICEMAIL IS V1 OPERATOR STATING THAT SHE PARKED HER BOAT OVER NIGHT AND RETURNED TO FIX HER BOAT. IN THE VOICEMAIL SHE ASKED IF SOMEONE COULD HELP HER FIX IT SO SHE COULD LEAVE. SHE LEFT A CALL BACK NUMBER ON THE RECORDING, THE SAME NUMBER THAT V1 OPERATOR PROVIDED ME. AT NO POINT IN THE RECORDING DID V1 OPERATOR MENTION THE ACCIDENT.      
      
(JUNE 2, 2023, AT 5:10 PM)     
I ISSUED V1 OPERATOR SUMMONS FOR THE FOLLOWING VIOLATIONS.     
      
14-15-4-2: FAILURE TO REPORT PROPERTY DAMAGE WATERCRAFT CRASH.     
14-15-4-1: LEAVING THE SCENE OF PROPERTY DAMAGE WATERCRAFT CRASH.     
9-18.1-14.5-5: IMPROPER DISPLAY OF WATERCRAFT REGISTRATION.  
St. Joseph River
Mishawaka                     