Prelude:          
           
I responded to a boat crash in Marshall County. The crash left one person with a fractured pelvis.          
              
Details of the Investigation/Incident:          
On 5/28/2023, I, Indiana Conservation Officer was contacted by ICO Dispatch Center about a boat crash. At approximately 3:14 P.M., I arrived at the crash at Koontz Lake.         
  
When I arrived at the shoreline nearest where the crash occurred, the boats and occupants had already exited the water. The lake was crowded, and the water was choppy. The weather was sunny and warm.         

I located the operators and began questioning them separately. The watercraft operated by Operator1 – a white 1996 GW invader runabout with Indiana registration. The boat was towing a red and blue Wow Max tube. Three occupied the tube, and each were wearing personal flotation devices. He was travelling at approximately twenty miles per hour in a counterclockwise direction, approximately 400 feet from shore.   

The watercraft operated by Operator2 – a white 2000 Godfrey Marine Pontoon with Indiana registration. He was travelling in front of Operator1 at idle speed in a counterclockwise direction, approximately 400 feet from shore.  

As the distance between vessels diminished, unbeknownst to Operator2, Operator1 intended to overtake/pass him on his starboard/right side. As Operator1 turned to starboard and decreased his speed, he lost control of the tube in tow. The tube continued to swing to his port side. The tube and occupants struck the stern/back end of Operator2's port/left side. Operator2's pontoon boat received damage to the fence rail and panel above the deck. After impacting the pontoon, the occupants of the tube were ejected and left floating in the water.  

After the crash occurred, Operator1 retrieved the 3 tube occupants from the water. He placed them in his boat and idled a short distance to his boat and assured that all occupants were accounted for, then returned to the Southeast end of the lake.      
    
I read the Indiana implied consent warning for a fatal or serious bodily injury crash from my department issued card to both operators. I administered a portable breath test to Operator2, which registered a 0.00. I administered a portable breath test to Operator1, which also registered a 0.00.   
       
Starke County EMS  transported two people to South Bend Memorial Hospital. One suffered a fractured pelvis in the crash. Another received stitches for minor cuts on his forehead. Operator1's runabout did not sustain damage. No injuries were sustained by the occupants inside the watercrafts.           

I located all the passengers from both watercrafts. I recorded their witness testimonies on an electronic voice recording. All witness testimonies agreed with one another.  I documented the damage to Operator2's watercraft with several photographs.           
Operator1 and Operator2 stated they maintain their watercrafts routinely and at the time of the accident were operating normally.        
The accident occurred due to Operator1 being unable to maintain control of the tube in tow while overtaking Operator2's pontoon.   

Koontz Lake
Walkerton                     