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Search on for boat in hit-and-run on Geist Reservoir

Boat hit-and-run

Richard Essex | News 8 at 6 p.m.

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Randy Mathis has owned his fishing boat for about two years.

He doesn’t get it out as much as he would like. Now, there is a good chance his boat will never see water again.

Search on for boat in hit-and-run on Geist Reservoir

Search on for boat in hit-and-run on Geist Reservoir

Around 2:30 a.m. Saturday, Mathis was hit by another boat. 

“The boat hit me. All I saw was his red light right there, and the boat hit me and knocked me to front driver seat and kind of banged me around,” Mathis said. 

He was eventually thrown overboard. The impact bent the boat’s fishing pole tower, the fiberglass in the rear of the boat is smashed, and the engine cover is damaged, plus he lost two fishing poles. He called 9-1-1 but was not able to hear the operator. His phone was in his pocket when he went overboard. 

He told News 8 he was fishing in the middle of Geist Reservoir. He said he was following state law that requires boats to have lights visible for 3 miles. 

“It was real quiet. There were a few boats that I could see off in the distance that were fishing ” Mathis said.

There were a few witnesses, but no one, including Mathis, got a good look at the boat that hit him. The only thing he remembers is one voice.

“I heard one of them holler he didn’t have his blankety blank lights on, and I did have my lights on.”

The Indiana Department of Natural Resources and police are looking for a boat with damage to its bottom. There are two public boat ramps at Geist, and the management is on high alert, according to Greg Binder of Geist Marina. 

“We are letting all of the marinas that would service a boat know to be on the look out for something coming in with damage.” 

The Department of Natural Resources is looking for a boat that may have damage to the bottom and black or maroon paint transferred to the bottom. 

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