On July 6th, 2023, at 1751 hours, Officer was contacted by the Linn County Sheriff about an injury boat accident at Sugar Valley Lake and asked if Officer could respond. Sugar Valley is a private lake community in Linn County Kansas. Officer arrived at the crash scene at approximately 1825 hours. The accident was reported to the Linn County Dispatch at 1726 hours. Officer spoke to Deputies and witnesses at the crash scene. There were three adults on the dock at the time of the crash who all witnessed the incident. Officer spoke to the remaining two witnesses, Passenger 4 and Passenger 5. There were two victims, both juveniles, identified as Injured 1 and Injured 2. One was transported by ambulance and another by medical helicopter to Kansas City area hospitals. The juveniles were being pulled by a boat operated by Operator and were in a tube when it struck a dock, injuring both. One of the victims ended up in the water and pulled onto the dock and the other in a boat tied up to the dock. Officer photographed the scene. Next, Officer investigated the driver and the boat. Neither were at the crash site when Officer arrived. Officer and Deputy 1, with the Linn County Sheriff’s Department, went and contacted Operator. Operator was communicating coherently with Officer and Deputy 1. Operator described the incident where he was attempting to throw Injured 1 and Injured 2 off the tube while going into the cove and back out. When the vessel went to head out of the cove to sling the tube around, there was a motor failure on his boat. The right motor (two motors on the boat), shut down. Operator stated he lost his steering, and it shot the tube into the dock causing the accident. Operator stated he only got within 80 feet of the dock with the boat. Operator stated multiple times he had been having some motor issues and has receipts to prove it. Operator also stated multiple times this was his fault, and he will “own” it. Officer asked Operator to start the boat so Officer could see the motor issue. Operator attempted to start the boat, but the boat would not start. Operator stated the boat battery must be dead, but after charging the battery there was still no power. Operator began getting agitated by Officer’ questioning. Laying on the passenger seat of the boat was a socket wrench with a socket on it and some spark plugs. Operator. After the accident, two other adults on the boat, identified as Passenger 2 and Passenger 1, got off the boat and rendered first aid to the two victims. Shortly after, Operator left the scene. Operator stated he took the other three juveniles on board back to the house. Operator returned in the boat a short time later but only stayed briefly and never returned to the accident scene. Officer asked Operator if he consumed any alcohol that day. Officer could see an empty Coors Light can below the passenger seat behind a small cooler. Operator said he had none. Officer had learned from a Deputy on scene the driver or passenger of the vessel stated to of had an alcoholic drink earlier. Officer told Operator this. Operator stated he had one beer around 10 or 11 am. Officer asked if he consumed any more alcohol or even used legal or illegal drugs during that day. Operator stated to Officer he had a cocktail after the boat accident had occurred. Officer did not conduct field sobriety. All conversations with Operator were recorded on Officer’ BWC. Officer spoke to Passenger 3 over the phone, the third witness on the dock at the time of the accident. Passenger 3 described Operator as the operator and the erratic operation of the vessel as it was driven in the cove and towards the dock. Operator operated the boat in the opposite direction that is advised by the rules of operation at Sugar Valley. Operator turned right into the cove near a no wake buoy and at the time of the accident was going the wrong direction for the lake. Passenger 3 thought the vessel was no more than 50’ from the dock and probably closer than that. Passenger 3 stated it was obvious the tube was going to strike the dock. After the accident and the adults on board the boat left to attend first aid to the juveniles, Passenger 3 noticed an alcoholic beverage sitting on the dock that did not belong to them. Officer spoke to both adults on the boat with Operator, Passenger 2 and Passenger 1. Both stated they did not know if Operator had consumed any alcohol that day, but both stated there were approximately 10 people total on the boat and both believed Operator just got too close to the dock.

5 uninjured juveniles on the boat not listed.
Sugar Valley Lake
Mound City                    