On July 15th, 2023, at approximately 1420 hours, Game Warden and Corporal received a call about a boating incident on Lake Sinclair at Crooked Creek Marina. Cpl. and I arrived at Crooked Creek Marina at 1445 hours. Upon arrival, we noticed both boats docked at the marina. No injuries were reported at this time. Cpl. and I began discussion with the parties involved.
	We talked with the owner of vessel 1. Operator1’s stated that they docked their boat at the marina while they went to eat lunch. While eating their lunch the manager of the marina notified him that his boat was struck hard by another boat that was trying to dock at the marina. No one was aboard Operator1’s vessel when it was struck. 
	Cpl. and I then talked to Operator2 the operator of vessel 2. Operator2 stated that he was coming to eat at Crooked Creek Marina. While he was maneuvering the boat in the boat slip, his dog jumped on him pushing the throttle, forcing his vessel  to collide with Operator1’s boat. Operator2 let us know that the boat was a rental from Sinclair Wild. Vessel 2 had Operator2, his friend, and his dog aboard.
	We had Operator1, Operator2, and the marina manager complete witness statements. We then gathered pictures of both vessels and their damage.  Vessel 1 had damage on the starboard side close to the bow of the boat on the gunwale. Vessel 2 had some damage at the bow of the boat near the metal eye. Cpl. and I determined that the lack of experience of Operator2's boating caused the vessel collision. Cpl. and I also went to Sinclair Wild where Operator2 rented vessel 2. Sinclair Wild presented us with the rental agreement that Operator2 signed.
	 Witness statements, images of both boats, and the rental agreement are included in this report.

Lake Sinclair
EATONTON                      