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 T. Basford and Waring conducted a resource inspection on a commercial snapper vessel returning from offshore. The vessel was found with hundreds of pounds of reef fish onboard and its permits and licenses were in order. Further inspection found a plastic bag in a separate cooler that contained ten red snapper filets. The vessel’s Captain claimed ownership of the filets and was cited for failure to land the fish in a whole condition and the filets were seized.
SANTA ROSA COUNTY
Officers Lewis and Clark had a busy Friday patrolling in the Blackwater State Forest. In addition to writing several citations for violations such as littering, driving off road, possession of alcoholic beverages in posted areas, and damaging ecological restoration areas, they arrested two subjects for felony narcotics violations. One woman was arrested for possession of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia and another was arrested for possession of prescription controlled substances without a valid prescription. Additionally, a man was charged for possession of undersized black bass and possession of drug paraphernalia. Later that weekend, Officer Lewis and Lieutenant Hahr were patrolling in the Blackwater State Forest when they observed a couple preparing to fish. When the male subject turned and saw the patrol vehicle approaching, he immediately flung his arm towards the water tossing something into the creek. The officers determined that the man and woman had been smoking marijuana on their way to the creek with their two young children in the vehicle. They recovered a marijuana cigarette from the water and some paraphernalia from the vehicle. Both parents were charged with possession of not more than 20 grams of cannabis and paraphernalia.
FWC Officers aboard the patrol vessel Fincat conducted off shore fisheries patrol in the Gulf of Mexico. Approximately 26 miles offshore, officers encountered a fishing vessel with five people onboard fishing. A check of their catch revealed 12 red snapper and one gray triggerfish, both of which are currently closed. All five subjects were issued citations for possession of red snapper during the closed season.
NORTHEAST REGION
VOLUSIA COUNTY
Officer Malicoat was performing shoreline inspections on local bridges. She approached two adult males, who upon seeing her, dumped their catch from the cooler into the shallow water. After retrieving their catch, both were issued two misdemeanor charges with notices to appear for possession of undersized red drum, mangrove snapper and black drum.
Investigator Crews conducted a boating safety inspection on a pontoon boat at the Granada ramp in Ormond Beach. During the inspection, Crews noted several indications of impairment from the operator as well as the smell of alcoholic beverage. The operator agreed to perform field sobriety exercises. Crews’ investigation revealed that the operator was under the influence to the point that his normal faculties were impaired. The operator was arrested for boating under the influence and transported to the Volusia County Jail.
PUTNAM COUNTY
Officer Florence received a call stating a neighbor was in possession of a dead alligator. Officer’s Florence and Campbell responded to the scene and interviewed the witness and suspect. It was found that the suspect caught the alligator using a rod and reel, then killed it with a shovel once it was onshore. The suspect took the dead alligator around his neighborhood showing it to people then took it to his house and removed the tail. The suspect stated he realized it was illegal to possess the alligator so he disposed of the carcass in woods across the street from his residence. The suspect was charged with taking of an alligator without a permit.
BREVARD COUNTY
Officer Lightsey observed a vessel returning to a local boat ramp. The officer observed the operator turn the vessel around at the last second causing his motor to almost hit the dock. After finally docking his vessel the officer approached the subject to conduct a safety inspection. While speaking to the operator the officer smelled the odor of alcoholic beverages as well as red, watery, glassy eyes. The man admitted to having drank “three beers” and having taken prescription pain medication and explained that he felt dumb. When asked if he thought he should be operating the boat the man stated “probably not”. After conducting field sobriety tasks the operator was placed under arrest for operating while normal faculties were impaired and a citation was issued for refusal to submit to a breath, blood and urine sample.
NORTH CENTRAL REGION
BAKER COUNTY
Lieutenants Kiss, Huff, K-9 Officer Gill along with the Baker County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a call late Saturday night, in reference to a missing turkey hunter, in the Osceola Wildlife Management Area, near Taylor County. The officers met with the missing man’s wife who provided a general description of the area where she thought he might have gone. The officers searched around the Sandhill Grade roadway and adjacent forest roads. At approximately 2:15 a.m., Lieutenant Kiss found the missing hunter stuck along Sandhill Grade in a washed out portion of the road. Officer Gill responded and pulled the man’s van out with his winch. The officers escorted him to the main road where he proceeded home to his family.
Officer Burnsed was working the John Bethea Wildlife Management Area when he conducted a stop on a vehicle. While talking with the subject, Officer Burnsed smelled the odor of cannabis coming from the vehicle. Officer Burnsed received consent to search the vehicle and found two plastic bags containing cannabis. The subject also had two cannabis cigarettes in the vehicle. The subject was issued a notice to appear (citation) for possession of cannabis.
Officer Burnsed received information of a 5-foot alligator that had been recently killed in Baker County. Officer Burnsed went to the residence of the suspect who supposedly had killed the alligator, but the suspect stated that he did not kill the alligator. Officer Burnsed interviewed several subjects who had witnessed the dead alligator. He got a written sworn statement from one of the witnesses. Charges will be filed with the state attorney’s office for the illegal taking of alligator.
COLUMBIA COUNTY
Officer McDonald was working a turkey bait location when a hunter came into his blind. Officer McDonald observed that the hunter had set up decoys and called for turkeys. He also knew that the hunter had baited the area in which he was hunting. Officer McDonald then identified himself and issued a notice to appear (citation) for hunting turkeys within 100 yards of bait.
SOUTHWEST REGION
CHARLOTTE COUNTY
Officer Birchfield investigated a boating accident in Ski Alley involving two personal watercrafts (PWC’s). The two PWC’s were spraying each other with their wakes most of the morning until one of them caught a wake wrong and the PWC went bow into the side of the other PWC. There were no injuries, largely due to one of the operators jumping off at the last moment. Officer Birchfield completed the accident report, charging the operator of the striking PWC. The parent of the other operator was contacted explaining the activity prior to the incident.
Officers Zampella and Price were patrolling the Webb Wildlife Management Area, when they observed a vehicle inside the area during closed hours. The officers observed the vehicle for a while and stopped it when it began to leave. When asked what he was doing, the driver said he was just driving around. When asked for his identification, the driver said he did not have any, but provided his name and date of birth. A license check, revealed that the driver had an outstanding warrant for his arrest. The man was taken into custody and delivered to the Charlotte County Jail without incident.
LEE COUNTY
Officers Thompson and Morrow investigated a boating accident that had occurred in the Gulf of Mexico approximately two nautical miles west off Sanibel Island. The four men were fishing on a 22 foot open vessel when it suddenly began taking on water. The vessel flooded and capsized causing all four to be ejected into the water. The operator managed to get four life jackets out and pulled one of the occupants from underneath the boat to safety. The men were in the water clinging to the boat for approximately 45 minutes before being spotted by a commercial vessel which was passing by. FWC responded out to the scene along with the Lee County Sheriff’s office and the US Coast Guard. There were no injuries and all four men were transported by a Coast Guard vessel to Sanibel where they had launched from. The vessel was towed back by Sea Tow. There were no charges issued at this time and the incident is still under investigation.
LEE COUNTY COMMUNITY ORIENTED POLICING
Officers Morrow and Fogle attended the annual fundraising event “Fishin’ with a Mission”, held at the Pink Shell Beach Resort Marina. The event is a children’s fishing tournament that benefits the Saint Michael’s Lutheran Church. Prior to the start of the event, Officers Morrow and Fogle gave a brief presentation on fishing etiquette and conservation practices. Approximately 50 children, between the ages of 3-13, participated in the tournament.
SOUTH REGION A
BROWARD COUNTY
While on water patrol, in Port Everglades, Officers Alford and Ariza stopped a vessel to conduct a fisheries inspection. The operator stated that he had been diving and speared some fish. Officer Alford inspected the cooler and found a gag grouper inside. The operator said he wasn’t aware that the season was closed for grouper. The operator was cited for possession of gag grouper during a closed season.
Officer Mirabal and Investigator Rubio were on water patrol in the ICW in Dania Beach when they noticed a jet ski without registration numbers. They stopped the vessel and discovered the operator was only 12 years old. The juvenile stated that his father let him operate the Jet Ski. Officer Mirabal made contact with the father and cited him for allowing a person under the age of 14 years old to operate a personal watercraft.
Officer Mirabal and Investigator Rubio were on water patrol in Port Everglades when they were called on the VHF radio by the bridge tender. The bridge tender stated that there were two individuals emptying out brown bottles as they went under the bridge. Officer Mirabal stopped the vessel to perform a boating safety inspection. While conducting the inspection the operator was found to be under the influence of an alcoholic beverage. With the information gathered, Officer Mirabal placed the operator under arrest for BUI. The operator was transported to the Broward County Jail.
PALM BEACH COUNTY
While on foot patrol, at the Canal Point Structure, Officers Toby and Alford observed an individual fishing in the area. Officers Toby and Alford stopped the individual for a fisheries inspection. During this inspection, the individual was found to have an active warrant for his arrest from Martin County for driving with a suspended license from April 2015. Additionally, the individual did not have a valid freshwater fishing license on record. Officer Toby and Alford placed the individual under arrest for the out of county warrant and issued an infraction citation for fishing on state waters without a valid freshwater fishing license. The individual was then taken to the Palm Beach County Jail for the warrant.
St. LUCIE COUNTY
Officer Payne was conducting resource inspections at a small dirt boat ramp in Ft. Pierce. A vessel returned to the ramp with seven people on board, four of which were small children. A vessel inspection found them to only have one life jacket on board the vessel. When Officer Payne looked in a bucket on board the vessel, seven whole stone crabs were discovered, three of which were egg bearing females and multiple stone crabs had undersized claws still attached. Officer Payne issued a notice to appear for the violation of possession of whole stone crab, possession of egg bearing stone crabs, and possession of undersized stone crab claws. The operator of the vessel was also issued a citation for improper number of life jackets on board a vessel. The stone crabs were returned to the water alive.
Officers Payne, Fretwell and Investigator Patterson conducted a crab trap inspection detail, targeting illegal traps set in state waters. Traps were pulled from the water and inspected for compliance. Violations observed included improper marking, no markings at all, abandoned traps and no biodegradable panel, just to mention a few. Multiple traps were seized and removed.
SOUTH REGION B
COLLIER COUNTY
While on State water patrol, Lieutenant Mahoney and Officers Polly and White observed a vessel having difficulty docking at Bayview Boat Ramp. The vessel repeatedly rammed the sea wall, nearly striking another docked FWC vessel. When talking to the subject, the overpowering odor of alcoholic substance was detected. There was also a case of beer hidden under a life jacket. The subject was led through Field Sobriety Tasks and was determined to be impaired. The subject was arrested for Boating Under the Influence.
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY
Two off duty FWC officers were traveling west bound on SW 328 Street in southern Miami-Dade County when they saw a commercial land scape dump truck parked on the side of the road, adjacent to a canal, and a man holding a rope that was leading into the water. They then saw the man pulling on the rope attempting to pull up what was later identified as an 11’ alligator, out of the water. Another subject ran to help and together they were able to pull the alligator to shore. The off-duty officers immediately contacted an on duty officer who responded to the scene and managed to see the two men in possession of the alligator. Both men were subsequently arrested and charged with molesting an American alligator.
Miami-Dade officers were conducting a special enforcement detail targeting BUI offenders at Black Point Marina. One officer observed an adult female “bow-riding” on a vessel. The officer stopped the vessel to conduct a safety equipment inspection but while doing so, he observed the operator displaying signs of impairment. The officer could also identify the odor of marijuana on the operator’s breath. After further investigation, the subject produced an electric vapor pipe with residue of suspected marijuana. The operator failed all field sobriety tests and was asked to submit a urine sample to which he complied. The operator admitted to operating the vessel after having consumed marijuana and Xanax. He was arrested for possession of drug paraphernalia and boating while impaired. A careless operation citation was also issued for the bow-riding violation.
An investigator received a call from Coast Guard regarding a vessel operator that appeared to be impaired. The subject was operating his vessel near a USCG vessel and while “jumping” the vessel’s wake, his passenger was ejected into the water. The investigator conducted field sobriety tasks and arrested the subject for BUI. The result of the subject’s breath sample was .014- almost two times the legal limit.
MONROE COUNTY
Officers on board the “Interceptor” were patrolling the off shore waters of Key West when they stopped a vessel just west of the Dry Tortugas. The officers conducted a fisheries inspection and discovered 9 red grouper, the season is currently closed. The captain was cited for possession of red grouper during the closed season.
Officer Munkelt and other officers organized and participated in an operation targeting businesses that rent personal watercraft. The objective of the operation was to determine whether or not the businesses were following the law with regards to the rental of PWCs to individuals that do not possess a Boater Safety Identification Card. As a result of the operation, 16 businesses were checked resulting in the issuance of 6 citations and 19 written warnings.
Officer Hein was patrolling the waters off of the upper Keys when he was dispatched to a large go fast boat fully aground on the sea grass flats in Everglades National Park. When Officer Hein arrived on scene he saw the boat in question desperately trying to force its way off the flats. Officer Hein managed to come alongside the vessel and soon determined that the operator was demonstrating signs of impairment. The operator was subsequently arrested and charged with boating under the influence.
Officer Munkelt was on land patrol on the Long Key Bridge when she saw 2 individuals spear fishing within 100 yards of the bridge. Officer Munkelt watched the men for an hour as they continued to spearfish. At one point Officer Munkelt saw one of the men resurface holding what appeared to be a silver fish. The subject placed the fish in a nearby kayak. Once the divers appeared to be done Officer Munkelt approached the men and discovered a speared snook in the kayak. The subject was cited with 2 misdemeanor citations.
Officer Mattson was on water patrol in the area of the Whale Harbor Channel when he observed a man free diving without a dive flag. Officer Mattson approached the man and saw him drop an item to the bottom. It was later learned that the object was a gig, a small pole with a hook at the end. The man was cited for spear fishing in the upper Keys and for diving without a dive flag.
Officer Mattson was patrolling the waters off of Islamorada when he saw a personal water craft that he had previously stopped and cited for careless operation. Officer Mattson noticed that the PWC was now being operated by what seemed to be a very young girl. Officer Mattson stopped the PWC and discovered that the young girl operating the ski and her passenger were both 11 years old. Officer Mattson followed the PWC to a nearby vessel where the owner of the ski was located. The owner of the PWC was ultimately charged with allowing someone under the age of 14 to operate a PWC.
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: FWC Division of Law Enforcement weekly report