This report represents some events the FWC handled over the past week;
however, it does not include all actions taken by the Division of Law Enforcement.
Patrol, Protect, Preserve
NORTHWEST REGION
BAY COUNTY
Officers Goodwin and Hellett stopped a vessel to conduct a boating safety inspection. During the check, they found the vessel to have been rented from a subject on Craigslist. When the vessel was found to not have the proper safety equipment on board, the owner was located and issued a citation for renting the vessel without the proper safety equipment.
Officer Price responded to a vessel that took on water and capsized while trolling just off Panama City Beach. The occupants onboard swam the short distance to shore and the vessel eventually washed up on the beach. None of the occupants were injured and it was determined that the vessel had engine problems which started the chain reaction that led to the capsizing.
Officers T. Basford and Wicker were on water patrol. While conducting a resource inspection on a vessel, they observed a glass pipe and a pill bottle that contained less than 20 grams of cannabis in a tackle box. Citations were issued and the contraband seized.
Officer Price responded to a boating accident in the St. Andrews Pass in which a vessel was reported to have sunk and the occupant swam to shore. Officer Price took statements from witnesses at the scene, but no owner/operator could be located. Officer Price free dove the vessel the following day and found most of the vessel had broken up and was washing out to sea. The vessel’s registration number led Officer Price to the vessel’s owner. A written warning was issued for failure to report a boating accident.
Officers Moore and Brady received a complaint from St. Andrews State Park personnel concerning the aroma of cannabis smoke coming from a campsite. The officers arrived to find three campers in the process of packing to leave. The campers were questioned and one was found in possession of less than 20 grams of cannabis, rolling papers, a grinder and a glass pipe. Another camper was found in possession of two baggies of cannabis. Citations were issued and the contraband seized.
Officer Price checked a vessel returning to dock and found three of its four greater amberjacks were undersized. A citation was issued.
OKALOOSA COUNTY
Investigator Armstrong and Officer Molnar conducted a vessel stop for violation of a restricted speed zone and failure to display required navigational lights. Upon making contact, the operator showed multiple signs of impairment. When the subject refused to perform field sobriety tasks, Officer Molnar placed the subject under arrest for BUI. The subject provided a breath sample of .195 and .199 BRAC. The subject was booked into Okaloosa County Jail and issued two citations.
Officers Pifer and Corbin received information from Investigator Armstrong that two males and one female were keeping illegal redfish in Alaqua Creek. The officers located the three individuals and as they pulled alongside they observed seven redfish onboard the vessel, all of which were undersized. During the investigation, Officer Pifer obtained a sworn statement from the female stating that she had caught five or six of the redfish and that one of the males had caught one redfish. The female was cited for the major violation for exceeding her bag limit by more than three fish, undersized redfish and no saltwater fishing license. The male subject was cited for possession of undersized redfish.
Officers Pifer and Corbin stopped a vessel for violating the idle speed zone around Crab Island. During the boating safety inspection, the officers observed dive gear onboard the vessel and a cooler that was partially open with what appeared to be a greater amberjack inside. A fisheries inspection of the cooler revealed two undersized greater amberjacks and a red snapper. The operator of the vessel claimed possession of the larger greater amberjack and the red snapper. The operator was cited for possession of red snapper during the closed season, violation of the idle speed zone, and two warnings. The passenger was cited for possession of undersized greater amberjack.
SANTA ROSA COUNTY
Officer Lewis, with assistance from Officer Ramos, had another busy weekend in the Blackwater State Forest. In addition to several citations issued for possession of alcoholic beverages in posted areas and driving on closed roads, they charged four subjects with possession of cannabis and possession of drug paraphernalia. Another charge for possession of hash oil is pending.
Officer Jones was on patrol on East Bay where he observed a fisherman in a kayak catch a redfish and put it on his stringer. When the fisherman left the fishing site, Officer Jones stopped him for a routine inspection. The fisherman was found to be in possession of three redfish with the bag limit being two fish per day. The man was charged with the violation.
FWC officers aboard the vessel FINCAT patrolled the Gulf of Mexico in both state and federal waters. During these patrols, several state and federal violations were discovered on several different vessels. Warnings were given for no state fishing license and possession of gray triggerfish during the closed season. Federal citations were issued to persons on different vessels in federal waters for being in possession of red snapper, gray triggerfish, gag grouper and failure to land greater amberjack in whole condition.
WALTON COUNTY
COMMUNITY ORIENTED POLICING
Officer Letcher participated in two public outreach events; the Spring Fling at Bay Elementary School in the Point Washington community and the Coastal Conservation Association Kids Fishing Day in the Grayton Beach community. Both events were a success and Officer Letcher provided information and education to approximately 130 people during the two events.
NORHTEAST REGION
PUTNAM COUNTY
Officer Guirate received a trespass complaint in which the complainant stated a suspect had been illegally killing turkey and was a convicted felon. Officer Guirate responded to the area and located a turkey kill site across a fence line from where the suspect’s blind was set up. A few days later he located the suspect who admitted to shooting a turkey across the landowner’s fence line. A records check confirmed the suspect was a convicted felon. Charges of felony trespass by projectile and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon were filed through the State Attorney’s Office.
Officer Campbell located two bait sites on Greenways and Trails property. After working the bait sites several times he located a hunter hunting over one of the baited areas. A records check confirmed the suspect was a convicted felon. Charges of placing bait on state park property and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon were filed through the State Attorney’s Office.
FLAGER COUNTY
In February, Investigators Dack and Crews responded to a hunting accident. When they arrived on scene they learned the victim had been transported to the hospital with a .22 caliber gunshot wound to the stomach. First responders on scene told the investigators the victim told them he shot himself while he and his friend were hog hunting. Five hours later the investigators learned the victim died during surgery. The investigators began a thorough investigation that included interviewing the victim’s friend who at first stated the victim shot himself. They also examined the scene, all physical evidence and met with the Medical Examiner. At the conclusion of the investigation the evidence did not match the hunters’ story. An additional interview was conducted with the victim’s friend at which time he admitted that he accidentally shot the victim. He went on to say they came up with the story to say the victim would say that he shot himself so no one would get into trouble. The case was released to the State Attorney’s Office who charged the suspect with filing a false police report and resisting arrest without violence.
VOLUSIA COUNTY
Lieutenant Eason, Investigator Kees, Officer Jones and McKee worked a boating safety detail with over three hundred boaters in the annual Mayhem event on Lake George. The detail resulted in two Boating under the influence arrest by Lieutenant Eason and Officer McKee. A search and rescue where two subjects were located, three separate public disturbance complaints handled by Lieutenant Eason and Officer Jones, and a medical evacuation by Investigator Kees and Officer Jones.
Officers responded to a report of an adult male who had fallen out of his 14 foot boat while underway in the Edgewater area. He was the only occupant onboard. The boat motor continued to propel the vessel in a circular pattern after the man went overboard. Witnesses stated the individual appeared to swim toward the still moving boat, which eventually struck him. Upon arrival, Edgewater emergency personnel recovered the boater and pronounced him deceased at the scene. Investigators are working on the investigation.
NORTH CENTRAL REGION
COLUMBIA COUNTY
While on water patrol, Officer McDonald observed a snorkeler trying to conceal something in his hand. Officer McDonald took a closer look at the snorkeler and observed that the man was using a Hawaiian sling gig. Officer McDonald identified himself and made contact with the man to whom he gave a citation for using an illegal method to harvest freshwater fish. The Hawaiian sling and mullet were seized as evidence.
While patrolling the Osceola Management Area, Officer Johnston came in contact with a man showing signs of impairment while driving a motor vehicle. Officer Johnston had the subject perform field sobriety tasks which he performed below acceptable levels. The subject was arrested for DUI and transported to the Columbia County Jail for processing. While at the jail, the subject had a BAC of .158 and .160.
NASSAU COUNTY
Officer Stuhr received information from Officer Sweat about a local and well-known violator selling shrimp at the corner of S.R. 200 and Old Nassauville Road. Officers Sweat and Stuhr checked with Jacksonville Regional Communication Center to see if the violator has a Saltwater Retail License in order to sell shrimp and were informed that the violator did not have the license. Officer Stuhr immediately drove to that location where the suspect was selling the shrimp and contacted Officer Hayes to meet him at the location for backup because the suspect has had a history of violence and fleeing. Officer Stuhr arrived at the intersection and made contact with the suspect. When Officer Stuhr asked the suspect for a license to sell he could not produce a Saltwater Retail License. The suspect was issued a misdemeanor citation for the illegal sale of saltwater products without a Saltwater Retail License.
SOUTH REGION B
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY
Officer Delgado and Officer Almagro were patrolling the off shore waters of Cape Florida when they saw a white boat displaying an improper (too small) divers down flag. There was one person on board the boat and two divers in the water. The officers stopped the vessel and conducted a boating safety inspection and a fisheries inspection. During the fisheries inspection the officers discovered one undersized gag grouper and one undersized hogfish. Ultimately, the captain of the vessel was cited for possession of an undersized gag grouper and a warning for the undersized hogfish. He also received a citation for displaying the wrong sized divers down flag.
MONROE COUNTY
As a direct result of the opening of grouper season, officers from the Florida Keys organized and worked a detail targeting bridge fishing in the upper and lower Keys. As a result of the detail, the officers issued five misdemeanor arrest, four infractions and 18 warnings. The officers also used this opportunity to educate the fishing community on the importance of following the rules and regulations pertaining to fishing in the Keys.
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: FWC Division of Law Enforcement Weekly Report