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.
NORTHWEST REGION
CASES
BAY COUNTY
Officer Gore responded to a complaint regarding child welfare in St. Andrew’s State Park and upon arriving at the campsite and knocking on the camper, he smelled the aroma of cannabis. A check found a juvenile girl to be okay, but the father turned over a large bag of cannabis “buds” and two grinders. Citations were issued and the contraband seized.
Lieutenant Keen and Officer Price were on patrol in St. Andrew's State Park when they checked two fishers on the jetty rocks. When asked if they had any fish, they seemed to avoid the question. A search of the area found two red drum, both oversized. Citations were issued.
Investigator Lee and Officer Price were on water patrol in EastBay checking oystermen. One vessel checked had three subjects harvesting oysters commercially, but one harvester did not have a saltwater products license and had been cited before for the same violation. Another citation was issued for no license and no restricted species endorsement.
Officer Wicker was on patrol on Panama CityBeach and conducted a livery inspection on a vendor renting personal watercraft (PWC). He determined the vendor issued boater safety exams, but the vendor did not possess a boater safety card. They said they did but a computer check showed otherwise. A citation was issued for the violation as the vendor was cited for this same violation the previous year and written warnings were issued for the numbering and decaling of his rental PWC’s.
OKALOOSA COUNTY
Officer Pifer was on land patrol and observed a sailboat hard aground in the Santa Rosa Sound/Intracoastal Waterways on the north shoreline of Fort Walton Beach. It was determined a recent severe thunderstorm, with high winds, caused the sailboat to become hard aground. The sailboat is located on the shoreline at a local city park. The sailboat has been determined to be derelict due to the fact it is in a wrecked condition. The sailboat does not have any propulsion ability due to the lack of a sail and motor. The hull of the sailboat has standing water and the registered owner stated the hull has a crack. Further, the sailboat owner has removed all his personal items and stated he is leaving the state. The sailboat is now considered abandoned. Officer Pifer has completed the derelict vessel process and has issued a citation to the owner.
Officers Bartlett and Molnar were investigating a possible derelict vessel that was anchored in Cinco Bayou. Throughout the investigation, the officers obtained a name and date of birth of an individual who has been seen going to the vessel by multiple residents in the area over the course of several days. The TallahasseeRegionalCommunicationCenter confirmed that the individual had an active arrest warrant for cruelty to animals out of WaltonCounty. Later that day, the subject was located at a boat ramp nearby and was arrested on the warrant. The derelict vessel investigation remains ongoing.
NORTH CENTRAL REGION
CASES
BAKERCOUNTY
A BakerCounty resident contacted FWC Environmental Investigations when he found a pile of illegally discarded roofing shingles and other roofing materials in the OsceolaNational Forest. A receipt found in the debris was from a roofing company in DuvalCounty. The company owner stated that an employee of his frequents BakerCounty and arranged for him to meet Investigator Terrones. After a brief interview, the suspect confessed to the illegal dumping, agreed to pick up the litter and properly dispose of it. The suspect was issued a Resource Citation for littering.
DUVAL COUNTY
Jacksonville investigators, Resource Protection Squad and patrol officers worked a steel trap case in southwest DuvalCounty. One subject was cited for permit violations, unauthorized traps and untagged steel traps. Charges are pending against the permit holder for excessive amount of traps, trapping in an unauthorized area and other steel trap violations. More than 75 steel traps, conibear traps and snares were neutralized. The case is still under investigation.
UNION COUNTY
K-9 Officer Gill received a call from the Union County Sheriff’s Office requesting K-9 assistance in reference to a robbery suspect that had fled the scene, on of a reported robbery on foot. Officer Gill and K-9 Friar responded to the scene and K-9 Friar was able to pick up the scent of the fleeing suspect and tracked the suspect to an apartment where the suspect was hiding from law enforcement. Law enforcement officers were able to apprehend the suspect due to the help of Officer Gill and K-9 Friar.
RESCUES
ALACHUA COUNTY
Investigator Bing and Officers Troiano and Acevedo responded to a report of a sunken vessel on LakeLochloosa with two people on board. Acting supervisor Lasher coordinated officers responding to the accident. Officer Lasher contacted a local fish camp on the lake to see if they could quickly render assistance. When FWC officers arrived, all parties on the vessel had already been rescued from the lake. After making sure all parties were safe with no injuries and the Jon Boat had no damage, a self-report form was issued.
COMMUNITY ORIENTED POLICING
COLUMBIA COUNTY
Captain Kihei has been coaching for the National Archery in the School Program Tournament the past four years at a local elementary school in ColumbiaCounty along with the head physical education coach. The team, consisting of 14 fifth graders, competed in a virtual tournament along with two other elementary teams and won as a team having the top shooter with a score of 259 out of a possible 300. The statewide NASP tournament was later held in Bartow where teams from around the entire state competed. The team scores were added to the scores at the statewide event and Westside Elementary won as state champions as well as second place top shooter. They will be representing the State of Florida in the Tier One category at the National NASP Tournament held in mid-May in Louisville, Kentucky. Wish them LUCK!!
LAFAYETTE COUNTY
Officers Davenport, Mobley, Boone, Pekerol, Ransom and Johnson participated in FWC Day at MayoElementary School. The officers educated and interacted with over 300 students at several different stations. The stations included boating safety and an alligator with an emphasis on wildlife feeding. The FWC law enforcement officers also discussed law enforcement’s role with FWC, animal decoys and how to utilize them. The officers also discussed the importance of the FWC’s helicopter in our mission. The Lafayette County Sheriff’s Office K-9 unit also participated by conducting K-9 demonstrations for the children. Overall, the children were extremely excited and interested in FWC.
NORTHEAST REGION
CASES
BREVARD COUNTY
While on land patrol at night, Lieutenant Lightsey observed a golf cart stopped in the middle of a busy roadway. When Lieutenant Lightsey stopped to check on the golf cart, the operator started up and continued down the main road with no head or tail lights illuminated. After conducting a traffic stop to address the safety concerns, it became apparent that all five persons on board the golf cart were impaired to some extent. Officer Maslo arrived on scene to conduct field sobriety tasks. It was determined that the operator was impaired beyond his normal faculties and placed under arrest. A citation was also issued for no headlights.
VOLUSIA COUNTY
Officers West, Meurlot and McDonough responded to a reported vessel accident in the vicinity of Oak Hill. A boat, operated by an adult male and occupied by a juvenile female and another adult male, was at planing speed when it collided with an Intracoastal Waterway channel marker. The adult male passenger was transported to a local hospital with lacerations to his head. The other occupants were uninjured. The adult male operator was found at fault for causing the accident and charged with careless operation of a vessel.
SOUTHWEST REGION
CASES
MANATEE COUNTY
Officer Martinez was on land patrol in the area of the South Skyway Fishing Pier. While on patrol, he performed a fisheries inspection on a group of men fishing at the very end of the pier. During the course of the inspection, Officer Martinez found that the men possessed 15 undersized mangrove snapper. The two men were both given one criminal citation for possession of undersized mangrove snapper and one written warning for over the bag limit. Mangrove snapper have to be at least 10 inches to possess and the bag limit is 5 per-person per-day.
Officer Martinez was on land patrol in the area of Terra Ceia Bayou. While on patrol, he performed a fisheries inspection on an individual who had just returned to his truck from a day of fishing. During the course of Officer Martinez’s inspection, he found that the fisherman had cast netted two undersized snook. The subject was given three criminal citations for over the bag limit of snook, possession of undersized snook and illegal method of take on snook.
SOUTH REGION A
CASES
BROWARD COUNTY
Officer Tarr was patrolling in the area of Harold Campbell Park/Stormwater Treatment Area 3/4 when he observed several subjects shooting firearms. The subjects were shooting into the water, across the water, and at random objects in the area. Officer Tarr observed one subject raise a rifle, shoot and hit a South Florida Water Management District vessel operations “Resume Safe Speed” sign. While speaking with the subjects, the subject that shot the sign admitted to shooting other signs in the area. The four subjects said they did not bring targets with them so they were shooting at random items in the area. They were shooting into water and at rocks which can cause rounds to ricochet. All four subjects were issued warnings for public discharge of a firearm. The subject who shot the sign was also issued a citation for defacing a South Florida Water Management District sign, a second degree misdemeanor.
PALM BEACH COUNTY
Officers Newman, Spradling and Investigator Fowler responded to a serious boating accident that occurred on the Intracoastal Waterway in Lantana. The operator of a 19-foot flats boat was thrown from his vessel and the vessel circled around striking the ejected operator on the face and head with the propeller. The subject was transported to the DelrayMedicalCenter for treatment of serious injuries to his face and head.
Officer Norbrothen noticed two vehicles parked in the grass median of a four-lane road. Slowing down to investigate further, he observed one of the vehicles parked erratically with heavy front-end damage, and the second vehicle showed rear-end damage. Officer Norbrothen called for EMS and went to check on the passengers. After EMS tended to the occupants, Officer Norbrothen questioned the drivers to determine how the crash occurred. The driver of the striking vehicle displayed indicators of being impaired and told Officer Norbrothen he had a few drinks. The crash investigation was turned over to the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office.
Officer Toby observed a vessel operating on state waters in Belle Glade. Officer Toby initiated a boating safety inspection. During this inspection, Officer Toby observed a mesh bag in plain view on the deck of the vessel that contained multiple black crappie. Officer Toby measured the fish and identified four that were under the required size. The individual was issued a misdemeanor citation for possession of undersized black crappie and a warning for not having valid registration paperwork aboard the vessel.
ST. LUCIE COUNTY
Officers Payne and Arnold were on water patrol when they observed a vessel on plane in a manatee idle speed zone. During a vessel safety and fisheries inspection, the operator was found to be in possession of three undersized sheepshead. The subject also had slurred speech, was unable to keep his balance and had a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from his mouth. The subject was taken to a local boat ramp where he performed poorly on field sobriety tasks and was arrested. The subject was transported to the St. Lucie County Jail and refused to provide a breath sample. He was processed for BUI and possession of undersized sheepshead. The subject told the officer that he had been arrested twice for DUI. The officer also knew the subject from a prior vessel stop a year ago where he was found to be in possession of undersized stone crab claws, whole stone crabs and egg-bearing stone crabs.
SOUTH REGION B
CASES
COLLIER COUNTY
The U.S. Coast Guard stopped a vessel for a safety inspection and determined the operator was boating under the influence. Officer Tidwell responded to the scene and charged the operator with BUI and refusal to submit to a breath alcohol test. The operator was then booked into the Collier County Jail.
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY
An officer was on patrol recently at Crandon Park Boat Ramp when he stopped a vessel with two subjects on board to conduct a fisheries inspection. The officer located a total of twenty-five undersized fish on the vessel. The twenty-five undersized fish represented six different regulated species: sixteen mutton snappers, one grey snapper, five grey triggerfish, one hogfish and two different species of grouper. Both subjects received a total of eight citations for multiple violations.
Miami-Dade officers participated in a shrimp detail aimed at commercial fisherman and their equipment. Sixteen frame nets were seized as evidence and 19 misdemeanors were issued to the violators. All the nets have been processed as evidence. There have since been numerous phone calls from commercial fishermen at the Miami office. The word is definitely spreading that FWC is out there and enforcing the laws to gain compliance from all commercial shrimpers.
DIRECTED CONSERVATION PATROLS
COLLIER COUNTY
While assisting with a turkey-hunting detail in the Picayune Strand WMA, Officer Kleis noticed a vehicle parked on the edge of an area that was closed to hunting. Officer Kleis noticed footprints heading into the closed area and went to investigate. Officer Kleis made contact with two individuals who were dressed in camouflage and were in possession of shotguns, turkey calls and turkey decoys. After Officer Kleis explained that they were hunting in a closed area, the individuals admitted that they knew the area was closed, but they did not know where it was. Further investigation found that both individuals were in possession of a map clearly outlining the closure. Both individuals were cited for hunting in a closed area of a WMA and received a warning for not having a WMA permit.
Officers Araujo, Eaton, Miller, Polly, Reams, Reith and Thurkettle conducted a detail in the PicayuneStrandStateForest and the FakahatcheeStrandPreserveState Park where they educated sportsmen and targeted individuals committing resource violations as well as violations of forestry and state park rules. During the detail, 6 citations and 20 warnings were issued for WMA violations and violations relating to forestry and state park rules.
Over a two-day period, Officer Arbogast patrolled a newly designated Second Chance Critical Wildlife Area (CWA) near CapeRomano to ensure that boaters were following the regulations for this area. The CWA was developed as a second chance for shorebirds to rest before migrating. During his patrols, Officer Arbogast spoke with individuals on nine vessels and four personal watercraft to educate them on the newly designated area.
RESCUES
MONROE COUNTY
Officer Trueblood responded to a report of a crocodile crossing US 1 in Islamorada. The two-foot crocodile was sunbathing and attempting to cross the busy highway in heavy traffic. Officer Trueblood was able to safely coax the animal off the highway and back into the mangroves.
COMMUNITY ORIENTED POLICING
MONROE COUNTY
Officers Wilkins and Garrison attended the ‘Fishing Fun’ event held by the City of Marathon Parks and Recreation at the OceanfrontPark. The free educational program was attended by approximately 150 people of all ages. Guests were provided with free fishing poles and bait as well as instruction for kids on how to properly bait a hook, cast and reel in fish. Officers Wilkins and Garrison were on hand to provide the guests with free informational guides, coloring books for the kids as well as lots of other free educational tools. Officers Wilkins and Garrison answered many questions about fishing regulations and species identification.
Lieutenant Sushil and Officer Despian attended the “Ultimate Man Day” event at First Baptist Church of Naples. The officers spoke to attendees about hunting and fishing regulations, and brought an alligator and ball python for the exhibit as well as an airboat. There were over five hundred attendees, including event speaker Brian Bosworth (former NFL and film star).
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: FWC Division of Law Enforcement Weekly Report