On 4/30/2023 at approximately 4:00pm, vessel was operating on plane on the Neches River heading downriver (South). The owner and operator, was wearing the engine cutoff switch lanyard but not a personal floatation device. Passenger 1 who also was not wearing a personal floatation device. The vessel struck a large steel pipe that was not visible under the surface of the water, causing Passenger 1 to be ejected from the vessel. The operator/owner was thrown forward in the vessel and sustained severe injuries to the face when he struck the steering console. The underwater obstruction was a metal pipe that had been used as an oil well drill head. It was stationary and was approximately 18 inches in diameter. Operator/owner did admit to consuming 3-4 alcoholic beverages prior to the wreck. A breath sample was not obtained due to the facial injuries to the operator/owner. His speech was not slurred, nor did I smell any odor of an alcoholic beverage. The ambulance personnel stated that they did not smell the odor of an alcoholic beverage either. When I returned to the scene of the crash, I determined that the metal pipe was extremely difficult to see when operating downriver due to the level of the water. The vessel sustained a gash completely breaching the hull on the rear starboard side of the bottom of the vessel. The gash was approximately 3-4 feet long and 5-6 inches wide. When I inspected the pipe in the river, it had a piece of aluminum stuck to it that was crumpled up and the same color as the vessel. The operator/owner was flown to UTMB Hospital in Galveston due to his severe facial injuries. Passenger 1 sustained no injuries.
1402 NECHES RIVER
silsbee                       