On July 10, 2023, at approximately 9:42pm, I (SGT 1) received a dispatch call from Illinois State Police in reference to a possible boat accident that occurred on the Fox River at the Stratton Lock and Dam, McHenry.  Lake County dispatch advised that they received an apple watch alert and heard people screaming in the background who were on the phone with 911. 
 
I arrived on scene a few minutes later.  There were several ambulances and rescue personnel already on scene and was informed that there were four passengers onboard at the time of the accident.  A white watercraft was situated approximately 30 feet south of the dam and occupants were being transported from their watercraft to the east shoreline in a small jon boat belonging to Fish Tales Concession.  Water levels are extremely shallow in that area and it appeared that the boat was beached.  The stern light was on and visible but there were no visible bow lights.
 
All four passengers were complaining of injuries and were each transported to various hospitals for evaluations.  Passenger 2 and Owner/ Passenger 1 were transported to the Northwestern Hospital in McHenry.  Operator was transported to Northwestern Medical in Woodstock.  Passenger 3 was transported to Good Shepherd in Barrington.
 
After speaking with the passengers onboard it was determined that Operator was the operator of the watercraft at the time of the accident.
 
When I questioned Operator about being the operator he stated that he had no idea who was driving and that it wasn''t him.  He became quite defensive and when I tried to check his eyes for Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus he would not follow my pen and kept diverting his eyes away.  I could smell the distinct odor of an alcoholic beverage on his breath and observed that his eyes were both glassy and bloodshot in appearance.
 
BruceSki''s marina was contacted about removing the watercraft and was advised that they would be unable to remove it until the following morning.
 
Identification was obtained for Operator through an driver''s license.  Operator became confrontational as I continued to ask about him operating the watercraft and would not answer any questions.  I followed the ambulance transporting Operator over to Woodstock hospital.  After taking an initial blood sample the charge nurse indicated that their was no alcohol in his system even though she indicated smelling it on his breath.  When she initially asked him about drug use that day Operator did not answer with a definitive "No" but skirted around the question.  
 
On July 11, 2023, at approximately 5:00am, I drove to the east side of the river, south of the dam, and observed that the stern light on the watercraft left overnight was still on but no bow lights.  I placed on my waders and waded across the shallow water to the boat where I took photographs, obtained registration and waterway information, checked navigational equipment, safety equipment, etc.  The Illinois registration displayed an expired sticker of 2017 but when checked through LEADS showed expired registration of 9/30/2021 and being registered to Owner/ Passenger 1.  The Fox Waterway sticker was expired 3/31/2019.  There were no bow lights on the boat and had exposed wires where it should be.  There was a functional fire extinguisher but I could not locate a sounding device, any wearable lifejackets, nor was there a Type IV throwable device.  There was a white cooler in the back of the boat with an assortment of alcoholic drinks, including: Truly, twisted tea, bud light aluminum bottles, etc.  There were 5 empty 12 ounce aluminum bottles of Bud Lite, 1 empty 12 ounce bottle Torpedo IPA, 2 empty 23.5 ounce cans of Jack Daniel''s Lemonade, 1 empty 12 ounce can on Leinekugal, 1 empty 24 ounce can of Twisted Tea, and 2 empty 12 ounce cans of Truly.
Fox River
McHenry                       