MILTON — The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission shares this report.
SANTA ROSA COUNTY
While on patrol in the early morning hours in the Yellow River Wildlife Management Area, Officer Ramos was contacted by a local landowner who said several trucks were off‑roading in the WMA.
The landowner stated that it sounded like they were mud bogging. Once in the area, Officer Ramos encountered three trucks, two of which were heavily coated in fresh, wet mud. The trucks left a fresh mud trail to a closed area of the WMA where the trucks had dug deep, muddy ruts.
After speaking with the subjects, Officer Ramos cited them for destruction of public lands. A traffic citation and three separate warnings were issued for other minor violations.
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Officer Roberson was on land patrol conducting state fisheries inspections at the Navarre Beach Fishing Pier when he observed an individual standing next to a rod and reel and a cooler.
Officer Roberson asked the individual if he could look inside their cooler and the individual gave him permission. Upon inspection, the individual was in possession of seven undersized Spanish mackerel. The individual was issued a misdemeanor citation for the violation.
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Officer Hutchinson was patrolling in the Blackwater State Forest in the early morning hours when he observed a light being shined from the cab of a vehicle into the woods.
He watched the vehicle and observed the driver of the vehicle shine the tree line and the ditch along a roadway as he drove very slowly along the road, stopping several times. Once the truck reached an intersection, he observed the light being shined into an open field area.
Officer Hutchinson pulled to the intersection with his headlights on. He visually identified the driver of the vehicle as being a male subject whom he had previously arrested for driving with a suspended driver license. He knew the license was still suspended.
The subject turned onto the roadway and Officer Hutchinson turned around and conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle. When he made contact with the driver, he observed a hunting rifle leaning against the passenger seat and a flashlight lying in the subject’s lap. He asked him for his driver license and the subject informed him that he did not have one and that it was suspended.
After further investigation, Officer Hutchinson discovered that the rifle was loaded and had a bullet in the chamber. After further questioning, the subject admitted to using the handheld light to look for deer and bobcat. The subject was placed under arrest and transported to the Santa Rosa County Jail.
He was charged with possession of a gun and light at night. He was also charged with driving with a suspended driver license.
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Destruction of public lands among FWC incidents