DETAILS OF INVESTIGATION/INCIDENT:             
(MAY 10, 2023, AT 5:28 PM)          
I, INDIANA CONSERVATION OFFICER (ICO) 1, WAS ON PATROL IN MARSHALL COUNTY WITH ICO CORPORAL 2 AND RECEIVED INFORMATION FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES DISPATCH ABOUT A BOAT ACCIDENT ON THE ST JOSEPH RIVER IN ST JOSEPH COUNTY.  I ARRIVED ON SCENE AT APPROXIMATELY 6:25 PM.         
           
THE OPERATOR WAS ALREADY TRANSPORTED TO ELKHART GENERAL HOSPITAL. I MET WITH THE PROPERTY OWNER. PROPERTY OWNER DID NOT WITNESS THE ACCIDENT OCCUR BUT SHOWED ME WHERE THE VESSEL WAS ON HIS PROPERTY. OPERATOR'S VESSEL, A 2022 MANITOU AURORA, HAD COLLIDED WITH PROPERTY OWNER'S SEA WALL AND CONTINUED ONWARD INTO AND WAS RESTING ON THE WOODEN DOCK AND EMPTY BOAT LIFT. THE VESSEL HAD STRUCTURAL DAMAGE TO THE PORT SIDE PONTOON AND MIDDLE PONTOON. THE PORT SIDE PONTOON HAD A LARGE HOLE WHERE IT STRUCK THE SEA WALL, AND DAMAGE TO THE BOAT'S RAILING AROUND THE MAIN SEATING AREA. OTHER PROPERTY DAMAGE OCCURRED TO THE WOODEN DOCK, SEA WALL, AND THE BOAT LIFT INCURRED HEAVY DAMAGE. PHOTOGRAPHS WERE TAKEN AT THE SCENE, AND I EXPLAINED TO PROPERTY OWNER HOW TO RECEIVE THE ACCIDENT REPORT FOR INSURANCE PURPOSES. CPL 2 AND I LEFT THE SCENE TO INTERVIEW OPERATOR AT THE HOSPITAL.         
           
CPL 2 AND I ARRIVED AT THE HOSPITAL AT APPROXIMATELY 7:08 PM WHERE WE MET WITH OPERATOR'S BOYFRIEND. HE ARRIVED ON SCENE SHORTLY AFTER THE CRASH AND WAS ABLE TO SPEAK TO OPERATOR BEFORE SHE WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL. BOYFRIEND EXPLAINED TO CPL 2 AND I THAT OPERATOR WAS TRAVELING WEST TO WYLAND'S MARINA TO PICK HIM UP. OPERATOR ENCOUNTERED NUMEROUS BASS BOATS COMING TOWARDS HER AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED AND SHE SWERVED TO THE LEFT TO AVOID A HEAD ON COLLISION.         
           
CPL 2 AND I MET WITH OPERATOR'S DAUGHTER WHO WAS AT THE HOSPITAL. DAUGHTER WAS NOT PRESENT FOR THE ACCIDENT BUT WAS AT THE HOSPITAL AS OPERATOR'S POWER OF ATTORNEY. DAUGHTER EXPLAINED TO CPL 2 AND I THAT HER MOTHER HAD UNDERGONE A PROCEDURE ABOUT 3 YEARS AGO THAT COMPLICATED HER MENTAL CONDITION. DAUGHTER EXPLAINED THAT OPERATOR WAS ON MEDICATION FOR ANXIETY, DEPRESSION, AND ATTENTION-DEFICIT/HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER.        
           
CPL 2 ATTEMPTED TO INTERVIEW OPERATOR, BUT OPERATOR COULD NOT REMEMBER SPECIFICS TO THE ACCIDENT. OPERATOR WAS IN AN UNKNOWN ALTERED STATE OF MIND FROM THE ACCIDENT AND COULD ONLY REMEMBER THAT THERE WERE A LOT OF BOATS COMING TOWARDS HER FAST. OPERATOR WAS BEING TREATED FOR MULTIPLE CONTUSIONS AND A LACERATION TO HER LEFT FOREARM. CPL 2 WAS ABLE TO ADMINISTER A PORTABLE BREATH TEST (PBT) TO OPERATOR. OPERATOR'S TEST REVEALED THAT HER BREATH ALCOHOL CONTENT (BAC) WAS .018 (BAC), WHERE THE LEGAL LIMIT TO OPERATE A BOAT IS .08 (BAC).        
           
DUE TO OPERATOR'S ALTERED STATE OF MIND, CPL 2 AND I EXPLAINED TO DAUGHTER HOW TO RECEIVE THE ACCIDENT REPORT AND THAT OPERATOR'S VESSEL WILL STILL NEED TO BE REMOVED FROM THE PROPERTY.      
   
(MAY 12, 2023 AT 10:30 AM)  
I MET WITH OPERATOR AT HER RESIDENCE. OPERATOR STATED THAT SHE WAS TRAVELING WESTBOUND ON THE ST JOSEPH RIVER TO MEET BOYFRIEND AT WYLAND'S MARINA WHEN SHE SAW A LOT OF FISHING STYLE BOATS COMING TOWARDS HER.  SHE SAID SHE SAW NUMEROUS BOATS WITH THEIR BOWS RAISED AND FEARED THAT THEY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO SHE HER.  WHEN THEY GOT CLOSER, SHE SWERVED TO THE LEFT (SOUTH) AND THE LAST THING SHE REMEMBERED WAS THE MEDICS CHECKING HER BEFORE SHE LEFT FOR THE HOSPITAL. OPERATOR STATED THAT SHE WAS TREATED FOR A LACERATION TO LEFT FOREARM, BRUISES ON BOTH LEGS, BACK, AND HEAD.
St Joseph River
Osceola                       