ON 04/12/2023 AT APPROXIMATELY 10:35AM A BOATING INCIDENT OCCURRED IN ABBOTT'S CREEK JUST NORTH OF THE HWY 8 BRIDGE. BOTH PARTIES INVOLVED WERE ABLE TO NAVIGATE THEIR VESSELS BACK TO THE BUDDLE CREEK ACCESS AREA. VESSEL 1 WAS AN OUTBOARD 17FT TRACKER. VESSEL 1 IS REGISTERED TO V1 OPERATOR. VESSEL 2 IS A 19-FOOT JAVELIN REGISTERED TO V2 OPERATOR.  VESSEL 1 WAS STRUCK ACROSS THE STARBOARD BOW OF THE VESSEL BY VESSEL 2. 

VESSEL 1 WAS OPERATED BY V1 OPERATOR. V1 OPERATOR HAD ONE PASSENGER ON HIS VESSEL AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. V1 OPERATOR WAS SCANNING BRUSH PILES WITH HIS LIVE SCOPE SCANNING DEVICE. SHORTLY AFTER VESSEL 2 WHO WAS OWNED AND OPERATED BY V2 OPERATOR CAME OUT OF AN ADJOINING CREEK AND BEGAN HEADING SOUTH IN ABBOTTS'S CREEK TOWARDS THE HWY 8 BRIDGE. THE TWO VESSELS COLLIDED APPROXIMATELY ½ MILE NORTH OF THE HWY 8 BRIDGE. ACCORDING TO V1 OPERATOR, HE ESTIMATED VESSEL 2 TOO BE OPERATING AT APPROXIMATELY 30-35 MPH DURING THE COLLISION. V2 OPERATOR STATED HE WAS TRAVELING AROUND 31 MPH WHEN THE COLLISION OCCURRED. VESSEL 1 WAS THE GIVE WAY VESSEL IN THIS INSTANCE AS IT WAS TRAVELING FROM LEFT TO RIGHT ACROSS THE LAKE CHANNEL WHEN THE COLLISION OCCURRED. VESSEL 2 WAS TRAVELING AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED AND WAS UNAWARE OF HIS SURROUNDINGS WHEN THE COLLISION OCCURRED. THE OPERATOR OF VESSEL 2 STATED HE WAS UNABLE TO SEE DUE TO THE SUNLIGHT BEING IN HIS EYES. OPERATOR OF VESSEL 1 AND 2 ALSO STATED THAT VESSEL 1 WAS TRAVELING AT AN IDOLE SPEED WHEN THE COLLISION OCCURRED. OPERATOR OF VESSEL 2 WAS UNABLE TO AVOID THE COLLISION DUE TO HIS HIGH RATE OF SPEED AND LACK OF PROPER LOOKOUT.    VESSEL 1 SUSTAINED EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO STARBOARD SIDE OF THE VESSEL. THE PROPELLER FROM VESSEL 2 STRUCK THE STARBOARD SIDE AS VESSEL 2 RAN ON TOP OF VESSEL 1. OTHER DAMAGES TO VESSEL 1 INCLUDED A BENT SEAT POLE, AND ANOTHER MAJOR CUT TO THE ALUMINUM ON THE FRONT RIGHT STARBOARD SIDE OF THE VESSEL. VESSEL 2 SUSTAINED ONLY MINOR SCRAPES AND CUTS TO THE FIBERGLASS HULL OF THE BOAT. NO INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED BY ALL INVOLVED PARTIES DURING THE INCIDENT. AFTER THE COLLISION OCCURRED BOTH VESSELS WERE ABLE TO TRAVEL BACK TO BUDDLE CREEK BOAT RAMP WHERE OFFICERS 1 AND 2 WERE ABLE TO COMPLETE THEIR INCIDENT INVESTIGATION. 

OFFICER 1 AND I (OFFICER 2) RECEIVED THE CALL SHORTLY AFTER THE INCIDENT OCCURRED. OFFICER 1 AND I ARRIVED ON SCENE A LITTLE AFTER 10:50AM. OFFICERS FIRST ENSURED NO MEDICAL ASSISTANCE WAS NEEDED AT THE SCENE. THROUGH THE COURSE OF THE INVESTIGATION OFFICER 1 AND MYSELF HAD THE OPERATORS OF VESSELS 1 AND 2 FILL OUT STATEMENT FORMS. THE OPERATOR OF VESSEL 2 STATED NUMEROUS TIMES THAT “HE WAS SORRY” AND IT WAS HIS FAULT. OPERATOR OF VESSEL 2 STATED HE NEVER SAW THE BOAT DUE TO THE SUNLIGHT BEING IN HIS EYES. OPERATOR OF VESSEL 2 WAS CHARGED ON CITATION FOR CARELESS AND RECKLESS OPERATION. ALCOHOL AND DRUGS WERE NOT A FACTOR DURING THIS INCIDENT.


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HIGH ROCK LAKE
LEXINGTON                     