On 09/16/2023 at approximately 11:20am, LDWF Agents Lt. and Agt. responded to a boating incident involving one vessel which occurred in Grand Bayou near the Sanchez boat launch in Lafourche Parish with 2 individuals that both sustained injuries. 

Agents arrived on scene and met up with the Lafourche Parish Sheriff's Office(LPSO) and a good samaritan that towed the vessel back to Sanchez boat launch. LPSO advised Agents that Acadian EMS arrived at the boat launch before and had the 2 individuals air lifted to the University Medical Center in New Orleans, LA. The father of the boat operator trailered the vessel back to his residence where Sgt. was en route to start taking pictures of the damage. 

The good samaritan boarded the LDWF patrol vessel with the agents and brought them to the scene of the boat accident. Agents took pictures of the entire scene. Agents returned back to the boat launch and made their way to the residence to meet up with Sgt.. In the course of the investigation, Agents discovered a 1978 15' (later determined to be 14') homemade aluminum vessel powered with a 40hp tiller steer gator tail was cruising with 2 occupants and collided into a tree. 

During the remainder of this report this vessel will be known as V1. V1 was cruising at approximately 30mph in Grand Bayou heading to Lake Boeuf when the passenger changed his seating position from port side(left) bow to starboard side(right) bow shifting the weight of V1 causing the operator to lose control and steer right into a tree on the bank. 

The operator was thrown forward breaking the grab rail in V1 and the passenger was thrown forward into the bow of V1. After impact the operator tried to push the motor back down into the water to head back to the launch and burned his hand on the exhaust. A good samaritan passed by and towed V1 back to the Sanchez boat launch. LPSO and Acadian EMS met the operator and passenger at the boat launch and had them air lifted to the University Medical Center in New Orleans, LA. LDWF Cpl. made his way to the University Medical Center in New Orleans to collect statements from the individuals involved in the accident and document the injuries sustained. 

Operator sustained head trauma and a 2nd degree burn on his right hand. Occupant dislocated his right hip, fractured his right ankle, and fractured his right rib. 

            According to LDWF Registration, V1 was a homemade boat, but was not assigned a HIN number. V1 was registered as a 15’ aluminum vessel 1978, however the investigating agents determined the actual length of the hull to be 14’. Agents communicated with LDWF Registration Dept. Registration was unable to locate any photographs taken of the vessel at the time of inspection. A homemade vessel won’t have a HIN until it is inspected and assigned one. All boats manufactured or imported on or after November 1, 1972, must bear a HIN. V1 had many modifications and changes to the hull including a brand new 40hp Gatortail motor which had .1 hours on the motor. 
            On October 5, 2023, LDWF Sgt. and Agt. arrived at Operator's residence for questioning along with his Operator’s father. Upon contact Agt. immediately read them their Miranda Rights. They both understood these rights. Agents questioned why V1 did not have a HIN and also why the vessel measured 14' instead of 15' according to the registration. Operator’s father stated he owned the boat for approximately 20 years and had not modified the length of the vessel in any way. He also stated the vessel did not have a HIN and has always been able to renew his registration. 

Agents took a statement from Operator’s father stating that V1's boat numbers have not been changed and the length has not been altered. After questioning, Agents cited Operator with RS34:851.20F, careless operation for violating number 16 of the rules of the road for vessels. Number 16 states, all vessels shall be operated at reasonable speeds for given conditions and situations and must be under the complete control of the operator at all times. Operator was also cited civilly for 34:851.24, fail to comply with pfd requirements less than 16 feet tiller outboard, and RS34:851.20F, expired boat registration certificate.
            Agents reached out to the LDWF Boating section at headquarters for V1's history. The farthest documentation goes back to 1993.

            The contributing factors are believed to be 1) operator inexperience, 2) careless operation, and 3) excessive speed. Impairment is not believed to be a contributing factor. PFD's were not used. Kill lanyard was used.

GRAND BAYOU
CHOCTAW                       