Details of Incident/Investigation:   
On Sunday, May 28th at approximately 9:50 am, I, Indiana Conservation Officer, was dispatched to a personal injury boat crash.  I was advised to respond to a boat ramp in the area of Arrow Point Court.  The crash happened on the Tippecanoe River just into Tippecanoe County near the White County line at an unknown time.  As I was arriving on scene, the ambulance was leaving with the victim of the boat crash for IU Arnett hospital in Lafayette. I was advised by a White County Sheriff's Deputy on scene that a subject with a boat would be able to take me to the boat crash scene.  I advised the Deputy to contact the ambulance service for me and advise the hospital that I would need a certified blood draw for my investigation.  Before meeting the subject with the boat, I first spoke with two witnesses near the boat ramp.           

Subject1 advised that she had been contacted by her sister-n-law in reference to Operator not returning to his residence from boating the previous day, Saturday, May 27th.  Subject1 advised that Sister-in-law had received 2 text messages from a friend on the evening of the 27th that Operator's boat had not returned to his residence.  Subject1 advised that her and her family had "unofficially adopted" Operator into their family.  

Subject1 advised that they checked his residence on the 28th and confirmed that his boat was not home.  Subject1 advised that she then began checking along the river.  Subject1 advised that they located the boat up stream from the ramp on Arrow Point Court.  Subject1's dad used his boat to go and check on Operator's boat.  Subject2 and Subject3 went to Operator's boat and located him in the water, still breathing and with severe facial injuries.  Subject2 and Subject3 transported Operator back to the boat ramp as Subject1 contacted the White County Dispatch Center for assistance.      
   
I then went to the boat ramp and met with Subject3.  I got into Subject3's boat and he transported me up river to the crash scene.  The front of the boat was up on a stump protruding from the water on the north bank.  Subject3 explained to me that they found Operator laying in the water, almost completely submerged with his face just above the water line somewhat between the river bank and the boat.  Subject3 said that Operator appeared to breathing and would only make incoherent mumbling type noises.  

I then began to take photographs of the boat.  There was a significant amount of blood all over the boat from one end to the other.  The throttle control was broken and the canopy top was broken off and laying in the water behind the boat.  There was also a large amount of Bud Light beer cans all over the bottom of the boat.  After taking photographs of the boat, I got back into Subject3's boat.  To get to the boat crash scene Subject3 had to get out and pull the boat across a gravel bar in the river and we were on the north side of an island that separates the river.  

With it being that shallow and since I am not very familiar with that part of the river I asked Subject3 if that was the side of the island that most people go on when on the river.  Subject3 advised that most people go on the other side of the island to stay in the deeper part of the river.  Where we were at along the bank and with the weeds and trees growing on the island and along the bank, it was difficult to see from where we were out to the main channel of the river.  Subject3 advised that you can make it by going on the north side but you have to be up on plane to have any chance of not getting hung up in the shallow water on the gravel bar.  When we arrived back at the boat ramp, Subject3's son was there.  Subject4 was going to help Subject3 get Operator's boat off of the river.         

When I arrived at the hospital, I met with the nurses in the emergency room who were attending to Operator.  I advised them that I would be needing a certified blood draw and they advised that they had the certified  kits and would be able to do that for me.  I observed the blood draw later while at the hospital.  I advised them about what little information I had obtained in reference to boat crash.  I then met with Sister-in-law.  Sister-in-law advised that she had received a text message at 9:37 pm on the 27th from a friend at Operator's neighbor's house that Operator's boat had not returned to his residence yet.  Sister-in-law advised that she received another text message at 10:45 pm advising that Operator's boat was still not back.  Sister-in-law advised that she had gone to bed before receiving the second text and did not see it until the next morning the 28th.  After seeing the text message the next morning, Sister-in-law advised that she contacted Subject1 to advise her about Operator's boat not being back.  Sister-in-law was then informed by Subject1 that Operator had been located and the seriousness of his situation.  While I was speaking with Sister-in-law, the attending emergency room physician came into the room and updated us on Operator's condition.  

Dr. advised that Operator was hypothermic and would only respond to painful stimuli.  Dr. also advised that Operator's heart did stop at one time and they had to perform CPR and use medication to resuscitate him.  Dr. also advised that Operator had suffered head injuries, that he was getting scans done to look for any other possible injuries, and that he would be transferred to IU Methodist in Indianapolis.  I asked Sister-in-law if she knew anything about what Operator was doing the day prior to him being located.  Sister-in-law advised that she knew he was on the river in his boat and that she thought he was possibly with a female.  Sister-in-law advised that she was not sure what the other subject’s last name was.          

As I was walking out of the hospital, I saw Subject4 talking to a female who turned out to be Subject5. Subject5 advised me that she had been with Operator from about 12:00 pm to 7:00 pm.  Subject5 advised that she drove to Operator's house and then they got into Operator's boat to go out on the river for the afternoon.  Subject5 advised that they had been boating on the river, stopping at "Priest Island" and visiting/hanging out with other people on the river all afternoon.  Subject5 advised that her and Operator left the island and went up to a residence.  

Subject5 was not sure exactly where the residence was at.  Subject5 only knew that it was up river from where they had been earlier closer to Oakdale Dam.  Subject5 advised that they took 2 different boats back to Priest Island where her and Operator had left some items including a cooler containing food.  Subject5 advised that they picked up the cooler and then Operator took off in his boat as she left to go down stream at approximately 7:00 pm.  I asked Subject5 why she got into the boat with another person when she had been boating with Operator all afternoon.  Subject5 advised that she tried to get Operator to let her drive his boat back to his

Tippecanoe River
Battle Ground                 