January 1, 2016 THRU January 7, 2016
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:
Officer Pifer received a complaint that approximately 20-30 bags of household trash and other miscellaneous items were dumped on Eglin Wildlife Management Area (WMA). Officer Pifer along with Investigator Schafer searched the trash and obtained documentation leading them to a local vacation rental company. Through multiple interviews at multiple locations Officer Pifer and Investigator Schafer identified the suspect. The suspect was hired to pick up trash from multiple rental properties managed by the rental company. Environmental Investigator Nelson continued their efforts and obtained a felony arrest warrant for the unlawful disposal of litter for commercial purposes.
JACKSON COUNTY
Lieutenant Allen, Officers Forehand and Burkhead watched three duck hunters shooting ducks for 20 minutes after legal shooting hours. As the hunters were leaving the area, the officers stopped them. All three hunters were charged with shooting ducks after legal hours and citations and warnings were issued for no hunting licenses, no state waterfowl permit and no federal waterfowl permit.
CALHOUN COUNTY
Officer Baber responded to a landowner’s trespass complaint. Officer Baber tracked down three subjects that had been trespassing on the complainant’s property. All three were charged with trespass.
Officer Baber received a call from the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Department in reference to a subject they believed had killed an illegal deer. Officer Baber found the subject at his residence and found that he was in possession of a two inch spike buck. The subject admitted the deer was killed the day prior. He was charged with possession of antlerless deer during the closed season.
NORTH CENTRAL REGION
BAKER COUNTY
Lieutenant Huff and Officer Bailey responded to a call for assistance late at night from the Baker County Sheriff’s Office in regards to four individuals that had gotten stuck in a remote area of the OsceolaNational Forest. It was reported that the deputies had lost contact with the individuals due to poor cell reception and were concerned about their welfare due to cold temperatures. The officers responded and found the individuals after several hours. The individuals were in good health and gotten two trucks stuck on a road closed to vehicular traffic. The officers were able to escort a tow truck to their location to assist. The two drivers were issued citations for operating on a closed road.
Officer Burnsed was patrolling the OsceolaNational Forest when he heard a shot come from an area where deer dogs were running. Officer Burnsed drove to the location and found several hunters catching their dogs off of the deer chase. One of the hunters saw Officer Burnsed and stated “you are going to write me a ticket, he’s not legal.” Officer Burnsed and the hunter walked over to the dead deer, which was a small three point buck. The buck is required to have three points on one side, and was not legal in this zone. The hunter was charged with taking an illegal buck in an assigned Deer Management Unit.
CITRUS COUNTY
Correction from previous report: Officers finished a week long evening detail assisting the HomosassaSpringsState Park with their annual Christmas light event. Hundreds of visitors come to the light show each year. Donations from the event go to the [Corrected: Friends of the Park Organization].
COLUMBIA COUNTY
Lieutenant Huff was on patrol in the Osceola National Forest in a concealed location when he heard a group of deer dog hunters running a deer. He heard the hunters shooting at the deer numerous times in different locations. The deer and the dogs pursuing it started to make their way towards Lieutenant Huff’s location. Lieutenant Huff saw a vehicle pull just past his location in an attempt to get ahead of the running dogs. He saw a hunter get out of the vehicle and shoot at a deer. The deer then crossed the road in between Lieutenant Huff and the hunter. Lieutenant Huff saw that the deer was an antlerless deer and not legal to take. After exiting from his concealed location, Lieutenant Huff checked the group of hunters. They immediately denied shooting at any deer. The hunter that had shot was questioned by Lieutenant Huff. The hunter was advised the deer was not legal and the hunter stated that he thought there were small spikes on the deer, but really wasn’t sure. The hunter then stated he was just excited and was hoping to kill a deer and knew it wasn’t legal. The hunter was charged with attempting to take an antlerless deer during the closed season.
LEVY COUNTY
Officers Johnston and Schulz responded to a search and rescue in the Cedar Key area. The officers received information about a person in a canoe that was being overtaken by wind and rough sea conditions. Responding quickly, the officers were able to locate the subject in a shallow water area near an island and safely bring him back to shore.
TAYLOR COUNTY
In response to several illegal hunting complaints, Officers Bailey and Yates conducted a targeted enforcement action in the Lower Econfina WMA. The detail included utilization of a deer decoy. Just before dusk, Officer Yates noticed a black pickup slowly driving on the main roadway. Officer Yates observed the truck stop and a white male exited the driver’s side, pulled a rifle from the cab and fired in the direction of the decoy. Officers Yates and Bailey made contact with the subject who was issued a notice to appear for hunting during closed season. During this detail, several other hunters received written warnings for allowing deer dogs to enter the same WMA.
A park volunteer at EconfinaRiverState Park reported a hunter shooting at wild hogs in the boat ramp parking lot. Lieutenant Mincy responded to find the hunter had already exited the park. The witness stated he saw the man shoot a small pig and then load it into a white pickup. The witness was able to get a vehicle description and tag number. Lieutenant Mincy was able to locate the hunter who was staying at a nearby camp. After interviewing the man he admitted to shooting the pig. He was issued a notice to appear for hunting in a state park. The meat was seized and donated to a local charity.
SOUTHWEST REGION
HERNANDO COUNTY
Officer Balfour was on land patrol near the Richloam WMA when he observed a vehicle parked along CSX rail road tracks. During the investigation, Officer Balfour determined the individual was a convicted felon who was in possession of a firearm. Officer Balfour arrested the individual for the violation and the firearm was seized as evidence.
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY
Officer Gaudion, Lieutenants Holcomb and Burton conducted a net limitation detail in the vicinity of E. G. Simmons Park. Just before midnight the officers observed a commercial net boat operating without navigational lights just north of SimmonsPark. The officers observed the net boat make a large circle and could hear what appeared to be a net being deployed from the vessel. After several minutes the two subjects on the vessel were observed retrieving, what the officer believed, a large illegal net. The officers then attempted to stop the vessel with blues lights at which time the vessel fled and attempted to elude the officers. The fleeing vessel attempted to entangle the law enforcement vessel by redeploying the net and in the process became entangled in their own net and disabling their vessel. Both subjects were then taken into custody. The vessel possessed two nets totaling approximately 900 yards long. The net that was deployed contained numerous fish (pompano, shark, ladyfish and one cobia). The operator was charged with fleeing and attempting to elude, use of illegal net in state waters, failure to transit with monofilament gill net, possession of unmarked gill net, obstruction of a law enforcement officer and fishing while on revocation. The passenger was charged with illegal use of gill net in state waters, failure to transit with monofilament gill net and possession of unmarked net. The fish were donated, nets were seized as evidence and the vessel was impounded.
LEE COUNTY
Officer Price responded to a complaint about a man keeping illegal snook. When he arrived on scene, he located a man and determined he had an active warrant for his arrest. A search of the vehicle revealed six snook rolled up in a tarp inside the bed of a truck. The man was arrested on the warrant and charged with possession of snook over the bag limit and out-of-season. This is a great example of the general public assisting FWC with protecting the resources of the state.
SOUTH REGION A
HENDRY COUNTY
Officer Mullins responded to a Florida panther that had been killed. Officer Mullins arrived on scene and checked the panther for gunshot wounds or any signs of foul play. It was determined that the panther had been struck by a vehicle; signs showed that it was struck while attempting to cross a rural road. An employee with FWC’s panther program arrived on scene and came to the same conclusion. The panther and location were documented. The panther was turned over to FWC’s panther program and will be further examined to gather information about Florida panthers.
PALM BEACH COUNTY
Officers Norbrothen and Webb were on patrol in the Corbett WMA when they observed three individuals fishing on privately owned land adjacent to the WMA. The boundary between the WMA and privately owned land was clearly marked No Trespassing and lined with a barbed wire fence. The officers observed the individuals fishing until they entered the WMA from a gap in the fence. Upon contact, the three individuals told the officers that they had seen the No Trespassing signs but heard the fishing was very good in the canal on the other side. After further investigation, Officers Norbrothen and Webb learned the individuals had parked inside of the WMA and used a gap in the fence to trespass onto the private property. The officers also learned that none of the individuals had fishing licenses or permission to be on the private property. The three individuals were cited for not having a freshwater fishing license and were issued warnings for trespass.
While on water patrol, Officer Aswall was flagged down by a concerned person in a vessel. The operator of the vessel advised Officer Aswall that he was unable to get in touch with four of his family members on kayaks. He advised her that they launched near Boy Scout Island in the ICW. With the concerned boater following behind, she responded to the area of Boy Scout Island. She located all four kayaks. Two of the kayaks were safely on the West side of the ICW channel. The other two kayakers were stranded on a sand bar on the East side of the ICW channel and were unable to kayak against the wind to cross the channel. Officer Aswall secured both subjects along with their kayaks safely onto her vessel. She transferred the subjects and their kayaks onto their family member’s vessel.
Officer Aswall observed what appeared to be a young child operating a personal watercraft. Officer Aswall made contact with the father of the child at the Stuart Causeway in the ICW. The father admitted to knowing his 11 year old son was operating the PWC by himself. Further, he admitted that this was not the first time his son operated a PWC. In the state of Florida, a person must be at least 14 years of age to operate a PWC. Officer Aswall issued the father a citation for allowing a person under the age of 14 to knowingly operate a PWC.
Officers Norbrothen and Merizio responded to a call that an unmanned sailboat had come off anchor in the Intracoastal Waterway and collided with another anchored sailboat. Upon the officers’ arrival, the United States Coast Guard was on scene helping to move the unmanned sailboat safely away from the boat it struck. The captain of the sailboat that was struck could not see any major damage. Officers Norbrothen and Merizio explained the process of a boating accident that results in damages totaling less than $2000. The owner of the unmanned vessel arrived as the Coast Guard was moving his boat. The Coast Guard issued citations for eight infractions to the owner of the striking vessel.
ST. LUCIE COUNTY
Officer Shermetaro while on water patrol, observed a vessel navigating at night without proper lights being displayed. After conducting a vessel stop, it was determined that one of the subjects on board had harvested several undersized mutton snapper. Records showed that the same subject was found to have been cited before for the same violation. Several citations were issued for safety and resource violations.
Officer Payne was on foot patrol at night at a waterfront park and local fishing spot, when he observed three individuals shoreline fishing. The park is closed after sunset. None of the individuals had fishing licenses. When Officer Payne collected their information and began to check it with computer records, it was determined that one of the subjects had an active warrant. Making contact with dispatch, the warrant was confirmed to be active. The subject was placed in handcuffs and transported to jail.
Officer Shermetaro was conducting safety and resource checks at a local boat ramp in Fort Pierce, when he observed a vessel returning to the ramp. An inspection revealed that the subject on board had been fishing and was in possession of a small ziplock baggie of filets. When asked what type of fish filets they were, the subject stated they were sheepshead. Harvested gamefish must be returned to shore in whole condition so that they can be properly identified and measured for compliance. The subject received a citation for landing the fish not in whole condition.
SOUTH REGION B
COLLIER COUNTY
Officers Despian and Lugg were on water patrol near GoodlandBay when a 14-foot vessel with two individuals onboard passed by on-plane within the manatee speed zone. While pulling up to conduct a vessel safety and resource inspection, the individuals had already begun taking their catch out of the live well and throwing it on the deck. The officers identified the catch as mullet. After inspecting the catch and the safety equipment, the officers determined that any and all saltwater product licenses for the vessel or either individual were not valid. Both individuals were cited accordingly for the violations and 187 mullet were seized and sold. The total weight of all fish caught was 292 pounds.
Officer Osorio-Borja was conducting fisheries inspections at the ChokoloskeeCausewayBridge when he made contact with four fishermen and observed one of them holding a cast net. Officer Osorio-Borja asked the individual if he had caught any fish with the cast net and the individual answered no. Officer Osorio-Borja then noticed a noise coming from adjacent vegetation and found a hidden red bucket containing several fish. The individual admitted that the bucket and fish inside were his. Officer Osorio-Borja found an out-of-season and undersized snook (16 inches) in the bucket. The individual also stated that he caught the snook with his cast net. The individual received three resource citations for the violations.
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY:
Miami Dade police was working a drive by shooting in which a 7 year old boy was killed. Miami Dade police notified FWC dispatch that they had located an alligator at the residence where the shooting occurred. They advised it was approximately 3 to 4 feet long in a plastic animal carrier. Lieutenant Maza, Investigators Miranda, Gilbert, and Officer Dominguez met up with two Miami-Dade Police Department officers who went with them to the house. The officers walked up to the fence and met two males sitting on the porch. We identified ourselves and asked them if they could show us where the alligator was. The two males walked around the side of the house, and began talking to another male who was in the backyard. They came back with a plastic animal carrier containing an alligator. Due to the circumstances that this family was dealing with, the officers removed the alligator from the residence and took no law enforcement action. The alligator was taken to the alligator farm in Homestead.
Investigator W. Almagro received a call from Officer R. Almagro in reference to an active suspected poacher in the vicinity of Haulover Inlet on the south side. According to the Bal Harbor Police Department, a Chevrolet Impala associated to a Bolo “Be On The Lookout” previously identified as a wanted male reportedly parked adjacent to the inlet. The Bal Harbor Police Department officer contacted FWC dispatch and stated that the wanted male was currently involved in harvesting fish at the inlet. Investigator Almagro arrived at the location in plain clothes to conduct surveillance. The male was observed fishing from the rocks located at the south side of the Haulover jetty with five other individuals. Investigator Almagro watched from a balcony that offered a complete view of the entrance to the jetty in an attempt to observe the group depart the area. They observed a male with a black back pack walking up to a red pick truck located next to the Chevrolet Impala of the wanted male. They witnessed this individual a few minutes earlier fishing with the wanted male at the jetty. This same male walked back towards the entrance of the jetty making phone calls and looking everywhere as if he was conducting counter surveillance. The same individual entered the walkway back to the jetty a few minutes later. A little while later a group of three individuals walked from the jetty to the entrance of the Haulover Inlet Fishing Pier. Two of the males were carrying covered 5 gallons buckets and fishing poles. The officer observed both males conceal the two buckets behind ornamental vegetation located next to the service entrance. Both males were looking everywhere while waiting impatiently. The female walked alone to the parking lot, she retrieved the car and drove to the entrance of the Haulover jetty where the two males were waiting. The two males immediately open the trunk and placed both buckets in the trunk of the vehicle. One of the suspects took control of the vehicle, while the wanted male sat on the passenger side. The female entered the back of the vehicle and the car proceeded to drive away from the area. Investigator W. Almagro immediately contacted Lieutenant Maza, who was maintaining surveillance in the parking lot where the two vehicles were parked and advised him of his observations. At that time, Lieutenant Maza, Investigator Taboas, Officers R. Almagro, Perez and Ludtke conducted a traffic stop of the vehicle in question. The investigation revealed that both subjects were in possession of seven undersized snook. The male suspects were cited and transported for processing.
MONROE COUNTY:
On New Year’s Eve, Officers Mattson and Trueblood stopped a boat in the Key Largo area for improperly displayed navigation lights. The vessel belonged to a rental company out of Key Largo. An inspection revealed that the vessel was also deficient in life jackets and a type four throw-able. Officer Mattson spoke with the business owner by phone for a later follow up. The officers followed up with the rental company on a later date and the owner was cited for a livery violation (he also had a prior violation for that in 2014) as well as 2 infractions.
Officer Trueblood responded to a boat accident in Barnes Sound, Key Largo, FL. The two vessels were involved in a collision ejecting two persons in the water from one of the vessels. The unmanned vessel then began to run in circles near the ejected swimmers. The operator of the second vessel safely had the swimmers board his boat. With the assistance of Tow Boat U.S., the runaway vessel was safely shut down. The U.S. Coast Guard and Everglades Nation Park Rangers also responded to the accident. After Officer Trueblood completed the investigations, citations were issued for failure to maintain a proper lookout, and failure to follow the navigation rules as an overtaking vessel. All persons involved in the accident were unharmed.
Officer Pestka was on water patrol New Year’s Day and stopped a vessel with no navigational lights after dark. The subject was uncooperative and agitated and showed signs of impairment. Officers McKay, Sutter and Lieutenant Haney arrived to assist. After conducting a BUI investigation, the subject was determined to be impaired and arrested for BUI. He refused to provide a breath sample and had six boating safety equipment violations. He was booked and issued citations for the violations.
Officer Foell was in his marked FWC patrol vehicle when he observed a male subject actively saltwater fishing on a bridge in the Lower Keys. As Officer Foell parked his vehicle near the bridge, he observed the subject look towards his direction, pick up a five gallon bucket and dump the contents over the side of the bridge. Officer Foell quickly approached the subject and observed numerous mangrove snapper lying on the seafloor below. Lieutenant Peters arrived shortly after and entered the water to retrieve the snapper. A total of 21 mangrove snapper were recovered; 11 of which being under the legal minimum size of 10 inches. The subject was arrested and charged with interference with an FWC Officer, possession of undersized and over the bag limit of mangrove snapper.
COMMUNITY ORIENTED POLICING:
Private Investigator Officers, Officers Dube, and Veloz joined Chairman Barreto as guest speakers at Ocean Reef Anglers Club in Key Largo. Topics discussed covered FWC’s mission, goals and conservancy. The Women’s Anglers Group consisted of more than 70 women all being well involved in all aspects of fishing and hunting. The Ocean Reef Women’s Group made a $500.00 donation to the FWC foundation.
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: FWC Division of Law Enforcement Weekly Report