Disclosure: During the active investigation, a PWC parked at Grafton Harbor was identified as Vessel 1. I (Sgt. 1) later discovered the PWC was operated by an acquaintance to the individuals involved. I made contact with the operator of Vessel 1 and arranged to properly document the PWC involved. The following narrative consists of minor changes strictly pertaining to damage accrued to Vessel 1:

At 6:19 PM on September 2, 2023, I (SGT. 1), was dispatched to a personal injury boat accident on the Mississippi River upstream of Grafton. At approximately 6:51 PM, I arrived on scene. The on scene investigation was recorded on my Department issued in-car camera. A copy of the recording is available upon request. The victim and operator of Vessel 1, V1 Operator, was air lifted to Mercy Hospital in St. Louis with a compound fracture to his left leg.  I conducted interviews on scene with the operator of Vessel 2 and Witness. All afformentioned individuals are acquaintances and were operating as a group. I concluded the following:

While individually operating their PWCs on the Mississippi River approximately 1/2 mile downstream of Island 521, V1 Operator swiftly maneuvered his PWC in close proximity to another PWC. After making the turn, V1 Operator continued northbound at an estimated speed of 5-10 MPH. V2 Operator was traveling downstream at an estimate speed of 25 MPH. V1 Operator's attention was focused on another PWC. V2 Operator was unable to avoid the collision. V1 Operator was ejected from the PWC and sustained injury. V2 Operator was uninjured. V1 Operator and V2 Operator' PWCs each sustained significant damage to the hull. V1 Operator was assisted onto another watercraft and transported to Grafton where EMS arrived on scene and ultimately airlifted him from the scene. Medical personel described V1 Operator admitting to consuming alcohol and the odor of alcohol was detected on his breath.

CPO 2 responded to Mercy Hospital to assist with the inevstigation. I assisted V2 Operator with securing his PWC from the river. Closer inspection revealed substantial damage to V2 Operator's PWC. I discovered no immediately obvious damage to V1 Operator's PWC. See attached photographs. 

I relocated to Mercy Hospital. CPO 2 concluded an interview with V1 Operator. V1 Operator's explanation of the incident was consist with interviews conducted on scene. We observed no indicators of alcohol impairment. I provided V1 Operator with a Boat Accident Report before clearing the scene. 

The cause of accident was determined to be operator inattention. Missouri registration was displayed on each PWC. Both operators have applied for a transfer of title. No enforcement action was taken.
Mississippi River
Grafton                       