ON 09/11/23 AT ABOUT 0630 OPERATOR LAUNCHED HIS VESSEL FROM BISHOP'S MARINA ON CLUBFOOT CREEK.  AT ABOUT 1200 OPERATOR WAS RETURNING INTO CLUBFOOT CREEK WHEN HIS VESSEL STRUCK THE NUMER 8 DAYMARKER. THIS CAUSED OPERATOR TO IMPACT THE VESSEL, KNOCKING HIM UNCONSCIOUS.  OPERATOR'S VESSEL CONTINUED TO GO IN CIRCLES AS IT MOVED INTO CLUBFOOT CREEK. 

AT ABOUT 1215, WITNESS 1 SAW THE VESSEL GOING IN CIRCLES.  HE CALLED 911 AND THE OWNER OF BISHOP'S MARINA TO REPORT THE VESSEL. OWNER OF BISHOP'S MARINA, AND WITNESS 2 ARRIVED IN A BOAT AND ATTEMPTED TO STOP THE VESSEL BY THROWING A ROPE INTO THE PROP.  AS THEY DID THIS, OPERATOR REGAINED CONSCIOUSNESS AND SHUT THE ENGINE OFF.

WITNESS 2 BOARDED OPERATOR'S VESSEL AND TOOK IT TO THE DOCK AT WITNESS 1'S.  ANOTHER VESSEL ARRIVED ON SCENE WITH A MEDICAL WORKER ON BOARD. MEDICAL WORKER AND FIRST RESPONDERS THAT HAD ARRIVED ON SCENE SAID THAT OPERATOR ADMITTED TO CONSUMING VODKA THAT MORNING AND BEING VERY TIRED/SLEEPY.  OPERATOR WAS TAKEN BY AMBULANCE TO CAROLINA EAST MEDICAL CENTER.

I ARRIVED AT TEMPLES POINT ROAD AT APPROXIMATELY 1328. I BEGAN INTERVIEWING THOSE AT THE SCENE AS OFFICER 2 ARRIVED. I CALLED SGT 3 AND ASKED HIM TO GO TO THE MEDICAL CENTER TO INTERVIEW OPERATOR. I ALSO SENT OFFICER 2 THERE. OPERATOR'S BOAT WAS TAKEN BACK TO BISHOP'S MARINA WHERE IT WAS TRAILERED.  SGT 3 REPORTED TO ME THAT OPERATOR ADMITTED TO CONSUMING ONE MIXED DRINK WITH VODKA AND ICED TEA AND THAT OPERATOR SAID HE WAS ON PROSTATE AND DEPRESSION MEDICATIONS.  SGT 3 REPORTED THAT OPERATOR SAID HE MUST HAVE FALLEN ASLEEP WHILE OPERATING HIS VESSEL AND THAT OPERATOR SAID HE HAD NOT CONSUMED ANY ALCOHOL AFTER THE COLLISION OCCURRED. WHEN ASKED BY OFFICER 2, OPERATOR CONSCENTED TO HIS VESSEL BEING SEARCHED AND TO TAKING A PRELIMINARY BREATH TEST.  THE RESULTS FOR THE TEST WERE POSITIVE FOR ALCOHOL. THIS WAS SEVERAL HOURS AFTER THE INCIDENT.  OFFICER 2 REPORTED THAT OPERATOR HAD AN ODOR OF ALCOHOL.

I SEARCHED THE VESSEL, AND ON THE SEAT OF THE BOAT THERE WAS A CONTAINER LABELED ARIZONA ICED TEA. IT WAS ABOUT 1/4 FULL OF LIQUID. IT SMELLED STRONGLY OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE.

WHEN OPERATOR'S BOAT STRUCK THE DAYMARKER, IT CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE DAYMARKER. THERE WAS SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO THE TROLLING MOTOR, THE PORT SIDE OF THE BOW, AND THE PORT SIDE OF THE LOWER HULL ON OPERATOR'S VESSEL. OPERATOR HAD FACIAL AND NECK/SHOULDER INJURIES BUT WAS RELEASED FROM THE HOSPITAL THE SAME DAY. OPERATOR'S BLOOD TEST RESULTS FROM THAT DAY, WHICH I LATER OBTAINED, REVEALED THAT OPERATOR HAD A BAC OF .28. THE CAUSE OF OPERATOR'S BOATING INCIDENT WAS DETERMINED TO BE DIRECTLY ATTRIBUTED TO HIS IMPAIRMENT FROM ALCOHOL.  OPERATOR WAS ISSUED A CRIMINAL SUMMONS FOR OPERATING A VESSEL ON THE WATERS OF NORTH CAROLINA WHILE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF AN IMPAIRING SUBSTANCE. (G.S. 75A-10(B1)(1). NOTHING FURTHER TO REPORT AT THIS TIME.


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CLUBFOOT CREEK
HAVELOCK                      