Weekly Report
December 19 thru December 31, 2014
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
ESCAMBIA COUNTY
Officer Hutchinson was patrolling the Escambia River Wildlife Management Area (WMA) when he checked a man and woman fishing. As he inquired about their success, he observed the woman go to the car and place something into her shirt. When he asked about the contents of the car, the subjects admitted that there was marijuana in the car. The woman handed over a bag of cannabis and was issued a notice to appear for possession of not more than 20 grams of cannabis.
Officer Livesay was working night hunting this week due to the high number of complaints from local landowners. From a concealed location, Officer Livesay observed an occupant of a vehicle shine a light into a nearby farm field. This area is known for a large deer population. Officer Livesay stopped the vehicle, identified two occupants and discovered they had a loaded rifle between them in the front seat. Officer Livesay seized the gun and light and issued both individuals a notice to appear citation for the violation.
SANTA ROSA COUNTY
Officer Hutchinson and Lieutenant Hahr were patrolling near the Escambia River WMA when they observed a car parked near a hunting club gate. When they pulled up to the car, they realized that a woman had hidden from them as they went by. They stopped to investigate and were told by the woman that she had just stopped to text her son. Drug paraphernalia was observed in the console, a glass pipe with a piece of crack cocaine ready for smoking was discovered on the floorboard. More crack and paraphernalia was found under the seat. The woman was arrested for possession of a controlled substance and taken to the Santa Rosa County Jail.
BAY COUNTY
Officers Brady and Moore responded to a report of a sailboat discharging fuel into the local waters around St. Andrews Marina. Upon arrival, they found a moored sailboat that had a large sheen emanating from the stern of the vessel. The US Coast Guard (USCG) was notified of the situation and further investigation found the vessel’s owner to be on board working on the engine. The bilge of the vessel was full of oil and diesel fuel. Officer Brady issued the owner a citation for the unlawful discharge.
Officers Wicker, Basford, and Waring responded to a boating accident with injuries. The accident happened when two fishers that were leaving a canal by water struck a tree that was sticking up in the canal. The collision caused one occupant to injure his hand and bruise his back and legs. Officer Waring responded to the hospital as Officers Wicker and Basford conducted the accident investigation. The boat’s operator was cited for failure to maintain proper lookout.
Officer Brady responded to Grayton Beach State Park in reference to a complaint from two of the park’s Rangers that a subject was illegally hunting within the park. Officer Brady located a parked truck that had foot tracks leading onto the park property. Officer Brady later located a bow hunter in a tree stand. The hunter was cited for hunting within a state park.
CALHOUN COUNTY
Officer Baber was working night-hunting activity in the Kinard area of Calhoun County when, just before midnight, a truck came by his location and turned into a field directly in front of him. The operator of the vehicle immediately began to shine the field with a spotlight. Officer Baber continued to observe the vehicle and allowed the operator to shine the entire field and then depart. The vehicle traveled a short distance down the road, turned around, and headed back to Officer Baber’s position. The operator then shined the woods on the opposite side of the road of the field he had previously shined. Upon conducting a stop of the vehicle, Officer Baber located a high-powered rifle and a .22 caliber rifle. The operator was also found in possession of less than 20 grams of cannabis. Citations for attempting to take deer at night and possession of cannabis were issued.
GADSDEN COUNTY
Officer Brower received a complaint of night-hunting activities in the Ashton road area.
Officer Brower made contact with two subjects standing behind a vehicle down a two-rut road.
When asked if they had heard any shots in the area, they replied “No.” While talking to one of the subjects and walking with him to the back yard, Officer Brower shined his light and noticed a deer feeder and what appeared to be a white-tail deer lying next to a large box. The subject admitted to shooting the deer. Officer Brower approached the deer and saw that it was wounded and struggling to break the rope that was tied around its horn, tethering it to a tree. The deer was put down by Officer Brower and citations were issued for attempting to take deer during a closed season or at night and no recreational non-resident license. The deer and the rifle were seized.
NORTH CENTRAL REGION
DUVAL COUNTY
Resource Protection Squad (RPS) officers working from the water and land targeted resource violations around tributaries of the Intracoastal Waterway areas making several cases. Citations were issued for undersized black drum, spotted sea trout, flounder and license violations.
LAFAYETTECOUNTY
Officer Davenport was on patrol when he observed a roadside stand advertising various seafood products and frog legs for sale. Officer Davenport conducted a resource/quality control inspection, and it was discovered that the subject did not possess the needed retail licenses to sell both salt and fresh water products. Appropriate charges were filed with the State Attorney’s office.
SUWANNEECOUNTY
Officer Mobley was speaking with a nearby property owner while following up with a trespass complaint in Live Oak when he observed two men suspiciously dragging a large black bucket to a nearby wood line. Officer Mobley made contact with the two men and discovered that the bucket contained a freshly killed doe carcass. After interviewing both subjects, it was discovered that both men had recently harvested an antlerless deer during the closed season. Appropriate charges were filed with the State Attorney’s office.
TAYLOR COUNTY
Officer Bailey heard gunshots from an unknown location while he was on patrol. Suspecting that the shots were being fired at waterfowl, Officer Bailey located the pond, where the shooting continued for approximately 23 minutes after legal shooting hours. Officer Bailey found the suspects and issued each a notice to appear for the violations.
NORTH EAST REGION
INDIAN RIVER COUNTY
RPS Officer Lightsey was on patrol in Sebastian Inlet State Park in Indian River County when he observed a man fishing with a large cast net from the catwalk area. After watching the man for a while, the plain-clothes officer approached him and conducted a resource inspection. The man advised that he only had mullet. A check of the contents of the man’s cooler revealed that buried underneath the mullet were sheepshead and mangrove snapper. The man was found to be in possession of undersized sheepshead and having taken reef fish by illegal method (cast net). It was also discovered that the man had received a citation two weeks prior by FWC Lieutenant Urban for the same violation. A citation was issued for possession of undersized sheepshead and warnings for illegal method of take for reef fish and for no possession of a fishing license.
PUTNAM COUNTY
In early November, Officer Guirate located two tree stands with feeders in Caravelle WMA. He followed ATV tracks from the tree stands to private property bordering the WMA. Over the next month, Officers Guirate and Campbell worked the illegal stands trying to catch the suspect(s). In early December, Officer Guirate located a hunter in one of the stands hunting with a .270 caliber rifle. Upon conducting an interview, the suspect admitted that both stands were his and he put up the feeders with corn. The suspect was charged with two counts of placing bait in a WMA, using centerfire rifle during small game season, cutting trees, driving on closed roads, operating an ATV on a WMA, failure to check in/out at the check station, driving metal objects into trees and littering.
Officers Guirate and Campbell were working private property in which the landowner has chronic trespass problems. They noticed an area where a vehicle had driven over the fence to gain access to the property. They located a vehicle on the property and a short time later saw a suspect approach with a rifle on his shoulder. Upon completing an investigation, they determined the suspect was a convicted felon. The suspect admitted that he had driven over the fence and knew that he was trespassing. The suspect was booked into jail for armed trespass, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and damaging/injuring fence.
MARIONCOUNTY
Officer Rice was patrolling the Ocala WMA and located a vehicle operating on a closed road. There were two individuals in the vehicle and they were actively hunting. Officer Rice observed two rifles in between the passenger and driver of the vehicle. A records check revealed that the driver was a convicted felon. After being read Miranda, both individuals admitted that one rifle belonged to the passenger and that the driver was in possession of the second rifle. The driver was arrested and transported to the Marion County Jail for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The driver was also issued a citation for operating a vehicle on a closed road.
Officer Simpson received information that an individual had shot a doe deer in the Ocala WMA. Officer Simpson was able to locate a vehicle that matched the description in the area of the complaint. The subject said he had shot a deer with antlers that were 4 ¾ inches long. Upon measurement, the longest antler was 3 ¼ inches above the hairline. The subject was issued a notice to appear for taking an antlerless deer in the Ocala WMA.
COMMUNITY ORIENTED POLICING
OSCEOLA COUNTY
Officer Mendez assisted Osceola County Chapter of Hero’s On the Water, an event for the local disabled veterans. The veterans and their families were issued WMA waivers for daily use and fishing licenses. Approximately 19 veterans and 40 family members attended the event which included free fishing and gear, kayaks, a safety guide and a free lunch.
The FWC Law Enforcement staff also supported the event at Lake Jackson in Prairie Lakes WMA.
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: FWC Law Enforcement Report