Narrative: 

At 19:18 on Sunday June 4th, I received a call from dispatch of a sinking vessel in the middle of Sand Hollow reservoir. They reported their boat had taken on water and was slowly sinking. They reported nine passengers, all wearing life jackets. The conditions at that moment were strong winds coming out of the South and blowing North. I finished up with the kayak rescue I was on and headed out towards the center of the lake. 

After about a minute I could see the group half sunk. I pulled up close and I was able to see the Glastron leisure boat was full of water up to the gunwales. I counted the occupants and there were only seven. I asked if there were more people with them and the group replied that there were not. I started to load up the group one by one into my boat and position them out of the way. 

At one point, my boat was rocked by the water, knocking Subject1 back as she was attempting to get in. She fell and landed on her back side. After loading up the group, I noticed two people who were missing PFD's. I thought I could see some blown away from the boat. I operated towards them to discover the blue objects were actually seat cushions. I was able to hook a gas container which had drifted away from the boat and pull it on board. 

I asked for the owner of the boat to came forward. He said the boat was registered to him but that he had no insurance. I transported the group to South Beach where the rest of their group was waiting for them. Dispatch had sent medical, who was arriving at this time. I collected everyones information as they jumped off the boat and into the waist high water. The paramedics met them in their car. Subject told me afterwards that his group refused medical attention and that none of them were actually seen. 

After dropping off the group, I went back to the boat and found it still at the top of the water and drifting to the North. I proceeded to the North boat ramp and grabbed four search and rescue personnel. We went back out again and found the boat with the same amount of water in it. One of the Search and Rescue personnel jumped into the water and was able to hook a tow rope onto the bow eye of the Glastron. After coming back on board we started to tow the Glastron to the North ramp. 

I called SUBJECT2 to notify him. He said they would head to the ramp. As we drove, the Glastron self bailed the majority of the water that had been inside. Once at the dock, SUBJECT2' friend backed in the trailer and Search and Rescue personnel were able to drag the boat on. They surrounded the boat with booms to absorb the leaking gas and fluid before pulling out the boat. We then instructed the driver to slowly pull up, allowing the boat to drain but still catching the spillage. 

I asked SUBJECT2 if he had been driving when the boat took on water. He told me it had been subject3. I then asked SUBJECT3 and he told me it had been SUBJECT2. I asked SUBJECT2 again and he admitted it had been him. Wondering why he had been untruthful, Ranger and myself began to question SUBJECT2 more about the open containers in his boat. We ran his info and found that he was alcohol restricted. I asked him to blow into a PBT and he showed positive for alcohol. I placed him in handcuffs, helped him into the cage in Ranger truck and he placed SUBJECT2 under arrest. I had the driver who had pulled the boat out, unhook the trailer. Ranger then transported SUBJECT2 to the Washington County Jail and Ranger processed the vessel impound. 

SUBJECT2 reported a few days after how they initially came to be in their situation. They had been out driving around when the weather quickly shifted to stormy. They were headed North when SUBJECT2 decided they needed to head back. The wind and the waves were stronger then he realized and the boat started taking on water. It couldn't bail the water fast enough and started to sink. After a few moments, the engine was under water and cut out. That's when they called emergency services and I was dispatched.

Sand Hollow Reservoir
Hurricane                     