ON OCTOBER 1ST, 2023, I, INDIANA CONSERVATION OFFICER, WAS WORKING OUT OF A FULLY MARKED COMMISSION, WEARING MY DEPARTMENT ISSUED CLASS B UNIFORM, NEAR THE TIPPECANOE RIVER.  AT OR ABOUT 1:30 P.M., I WAS CONTACTED BY THE WHITE COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS CENTER WITH A REQUEST THAT I RESPOND TO A BOAT CRASH ON LAKE SHAFER.  I WAS THEN DISPATCHED TO NORTH SULLIVAN COURT IN MONTICELLO.

AT OR ABOUT 1:50 P.M. I ARRIVED ON SCENE, WHERE I WAS MET BY WITNESS, WHO I IDENTIFIED BY WAY OF A STATE ISSUED DRIVER'S LICENSE.  WITNESS INFORMED ME THAT HE HAD WITNESSED A FEMALE CRASH HER BOAT INTO HIS NEIGHBOR'S NEW PONTOON, WHICH WAS ON THE LIFT.  WITNESS THEN STATED THAT HE HAD TOLD THE FEMALE TO STAY THERE WHILE HE REPORTED THE CRASH, AND THAT SHE WAS STILL ON THE WATER BEHIND HIS RESIDENCE.

BEHIND THE RESIDENCE, I FOUND V1 OPERATOR, WHO I IDENTIFIED BY WAY OF A STATE ISSUED DRIVER'S LICENSE, TO BE THE V1 OPERATOR OF A WHITE BENNINGTON PONTOON BOAT.  THE WHITE BENNINGTON DISPLAYED INDIANA REGISTRATION.  V1 OPERATOR INFORMED ME THAT SHE AND HER THREE (3) PASSENGERS WERE OUT FOR A RIDE THAT AFTERNOON AND HAD BEEN TRAVELLING DOWN RIVER, PAST OUR CURRENT LOCATION.  SHE STATED THAT ONCE SHE GOT PAST THE RESIDENCE, SHE DECIDED TO TURN OUT TOWARDS THE BANK TO HEAD BACK UPRIVER.  IT WAS AT THIS TIME THAT SHE REALIZED SHE HAD NOT TURNED SHARP ENOUGH AND CRASHED INTO THE PIER BEFORE HITTING THE MOTOR OF THE BOAT ON THE LIFT CONNECTED TO IT.  THIS WAS CONSISTENT WITH THE INFORMATION PROVIDED TO ME BY WITNESS.

AS I EVALUATED THE DAMAGE DONE TO V1 OPERATOR'S BOAT, I NOTICED THAT THE FRONT END HAD MINOR DAMAGES, BUT THAT THE "EYE" ON THE PORT SIDE "TOON" HAD BEEN PUSHED BACK AND BROKE THE WELD ON FRONT OF IT.  I THEN PHOTOGRAPHED THE DAMAGE DONE TO THE DOCK, AS WELL AS THE BOAT ON THE LIFT.  I WAS ABLE TO DETERMINE THAT THE BOAT ON THE LIFT, WHICH WAS BEARING INDIANA REGISTRATION, BELONGED TO V2 OWNER.  V2 OWNER WAS ALSO THE OWNER OF THE RESIDENCE WHERE THE BOAT WAS LOCATED.

THE DAMAGE TO V2 OWNER'S TRITOON APPEARED TO BE PRIMARILY ON THE LOWER UNIT AND PROP.  THERE WAS ALSO DAMAGE ON THE MIDDLE "TOON" OF THE BOAT.  AS I WALKED AROUND THE BOAT IT APPEARED TO HAVE BEEN STRUCK HARD ENOUGH THAT THE BOAT ITSELF WAS LIFTED, AND SHIFTED ON THE LIFT, AS THE BOAT WAS CROOKED UNDERNEATH THE ROOF OF THE LIFT.  I WAS ABLE TO CONTACT V2 OWNER VIA CELL PHONE AND NOTIFY HIM OF THE DAMAGE AND OBTAIN HIS INSURANCE INFORMATION.  HE WAS ALSO MADE AWARE THAT HE WAS FREE TO TAKE THE BOAT WHEREVER HE NEEDED TO FOR AN ESTIMATE.

NOTE:  IT SHOULD BE DOCUMENTED THAT A SAFETY CHECK OF V1 OPERATOR'S BOAT WAS DONE, AND IT WAS EQUIPPED WITH ALL OF THE REQUIRED PERSONAL FLOTATION DEVICES.  I ALSO WAS PERMITTED TO LOOK INTO A CLOSED COOLER THAT WAS ABOARD THE BOAT.  AT NO TIME DID I DETECT THE ODOR OF ALCOHOL OR NOTICE ANYTHING THAT WOULD LEAD ME TO BELIEVE THAT V1 OPERATOR WAS IMPAIRED IN ANY WAY.

AT THIS TIME, I AM NOT REQUESTING ANY CHARGES BE FILED AGAINST V1 OPERATOR.  I BELIEVE THE DAMAGE DONE TO V2 OWNER'S BOAT AND PIER TO BE IN EXCESS OF $750.  AS A RESULT, A REPORT HAS BEEN GENERATED FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES.
Lake Shafer
Monticello                    