On 06/24/2023 at approximately 1338 hours Sgt. and I, OFC of the Maryland Natural Resources Police responded to the area of the Assawoman Bay and Madison Avenue for a reported vessel accident involving a PWC with injuries and people still in the water. While en route, DNR communications advised us a Good Samaritan vessel had picked up the victims and transported them to a residence to meet with EMS. It was also reported that an Ocean City EMS was transporting one patient to North Side Park in Ocean City, to be airlifted by Maryland State Police Aviation Command due to the seriousness of sustained injuries. While en route to the residence, Sgt. and I observed a male subject sitting on a black and green PWC at the entrance of the canal. It should be noted the canal and location of the PWC were in Delaware waters.

Upon making contact with the operator of the PWC, he stated he was involved in the vessel accident. Sgt.1 advised DNR communications that the subject was boarding our vessel and we would be towing it to shore. The subject embarked on our vessel and I had him move to the bow of our marked patrol vessel while Sgt.1 was securing the PWC to our vessel. 

The PWC displayed Delaware registration. The male subject later identified himself as Operator1 by his driver’s license. Operator1 kept repeating the steering failed on his PWC and he wasn’t able to turn before he hit the other PWC. Once Sgt.1 had the PWC secured to our vessel, I operated our vessel to the residence further down the canal that Operator1 said where he was staying and EMS was waiting. Operator1 stated it was his PWC and another that was involved in the accident. Operator1 stated his girlfriend was operating the other PWC with two of her friends onboard. The second operator of the PWC was later identified as Operator2. Operator1 stated both of the PWCs belong to Operator2’s family.

Once back at the residence, we secured the PWC to the dock and secured our patrol vessels, and disembarked. Sgt.1 made contact with Ocean City EMS to obtain victim and hospital information, while I stayed with Operator1 and obtained details about the vessel accident. I asked Operator1 where the accident happened and he stated out in the water, past the canal. I provided Operator1 with a map and he pointed to a location in Maryland waters just south of the Maryland/ Delaware line. Operator1 stated his girlfriend was operating the other PWC, with two of her friends on the back. 

Operator1 said Operator2’s family had just purchased the PWC Operator2 was operating earlier in the week. Operator1 said again the steering on his PWC was damaged and he believed the throttle malfunctioned causing him to not be able to reduce speed. I asked Operator1 how fast he was going and he said he remembered seeing “22” on the screen. That would indicate 22 knots or 22 mph, both of which are above the 6knot, 100-foot regulation that Maryland has in place. 

Operator1 asked me questions about the steering malfunction and if I had ever come across that before. Operator1 stated he didn’t have much experience with PWCs and didn’t know much about them. While speaking with Operator1, I detected his speech was slurred and he had an odor of alcoholic beverage on his breath. I advised Sgt.1 of the situation and he had the DNR communication center contact Delaware Natural Resource Police to respond to our location due to being in the state of Delaware. While waiting with Operator1, I asked him how the other PWC and victims got back into shore and he said someone operated the PWC back to the residence, and a boat picked up the severely injured subject and took them to the residence to meet EMS. The operator of that vessel was later identified and he confirmed to Sgt.1 he picked the victims out of Maryland waters.

Once Delaware NRP arrived on the scene, they conducted field sobriety on Operator1 and the results were negative.

While Delaware NRP was conducting field sobriety, Sgt.1 informed me, Maryland NRP Special Operation Division investigators were going to be taking over the vessel accident investigation. Sgt.1 also said Delaware NRP was going to take custody of both PWCs at the request of our investigators, due to the serious injuries sustained by one of the victims.

After Delaware NRP was finished with their investigation with Operator1, I gathered his contact information and told him I’d be in contact with him soon. Delaware NRP assisted us with removing the PWC Operator1 was operating, out of the water after we towed it by vessel to a nearby boat ramp. After removing the vessel, it was observed the PWC didn’t have its hull plugs installed and that’s the reason why the PWC was partially sunk. 

The entire hull/ engine compartment of the PWC was full of seawater.

After clearing the boat ramp, I made contact with OFC., the investigator from MD NRP was assisting me with the vessel accident. OFC. stated she was en route to Tidal Health in Salisbury, Maryland, to conduct interviews of the victims and obtain their information for the report. I explained to her briefly what information I had at that time and the operator of the striking PWC was also en route to Tidal Health, in case she wanted to formally interview him.

I cleared the above locations and returned to service.  The above events occurred in Ocean City, Maryland, and Selbyville, Delaware.

The following day, 06/25/2023, I was informed that Investigations were no longer handling the vessel accident but would continue to assist me with my investigation. The patient that had alleged severe injuries was released from Shock Trauma and without life-threatening injuries after medical evaluations were conducted. 

I made contact with the father of Operator2. He is the owner of the two PWCs that were involved in the accident and I answered any of the questions he had for me at that time. I told him that he would be receiving the PWCs back shortly, due to no longer needing them as evidence. Operator2 stated the PWCs weren’t insured. I told Operator2 to contact me with any questions that he might have, and that another officer would be in contact with him about getting the PWCs back to him.  The investigation is ongoing and charges are pending for negligent operation of a vessel on Operator1.

On 07/02/2023 at approximately 1230 hours I met with Operator1 and issued him three citations.
Negligent operation of a vessel 
Operate a PWC on state waters in excess of 6 knots within 100ft of another vessel
Failure to obey navigation rules of road Rule #8
I answered all of Operator1’s questions and explained the citations in detail.
Cleared without further incident.

Due to the speed and angle of impact, PWC2 acted as a ramp causing PWC1 to launch up and over the steering column of her vessel, consequently striking all three of its persons on board.
Assawoman Bay, Ocean City
Ocean City                    