FWC DIVISION OF LAW
ENFORCEMENT
FIELD
OPERATIONS
WEEKLY
REPORT
August
26 – September 1, 2011
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
ESCAMBIA COUNTY
Officer Gary Ridaught was
on water patrol in Bayou Grande when he observed a vessel being operated
in a careless manner without the required navigation lights displayed.
Officer Ridaught stopped the vessel and noticed
signs of impairment from the operator. The operator performed poorly on
several afloat tasks and refused to continue with the remaining field
sobriety tasks ashore. Officer Ridaught arrested the subject for BUI.
The subject agreed to provide a breath sample
at the Escambia County Jail, which resulted in .209 g/210L. The vessel
operator was also charged with failure to display required navigation
lights.
Lt. Dan Hahr was conducting
enhanced patrol in the Perdido River Wildlife Management Area when he
observed a group of five young adults drinking beer on a sandbar. As
Lieutenant Hahr approached, he overheard the
group talking about smoking the rest of their “weed” and observed them
open a bag and light up a marijuana cigarette. When he made contact with
the subjects, three admitted to possession of two bags of marijuana.
Two subjects who were 21 years old admitted
to buying the beer and providing it to the underage individuals. The
underage subjects were cited for possession of alcoholic beverages by a
person under 21. The 21-year- old subjects were charged with providing
alcoholic beverages to persons under 21. Three
subjects were also charged with possession of not more than 20 grams of
cannabis.
SANTA ROSA COUNTY
Officer Steve Hoomes
responded to a boating accident on the Blackwater River in which two
vessels collided as they met in a curve on the river. One vessel was
operating at a slow speed on the right side of the river,
as the other was coming around the bend at a higher rate of speed. While
the slower vessel moved right, as required by law, the other vessel
attempted to pass and turned left into the oncoming vessel striking it
with a glancing blow. Both boats were damaged,
but there were no injuries requiring medical attention. The accident
remains under investigation and charges are pending.
WALTON COUNTY
Officers Don Walker and
Espy Letcher were on vessel patrol in Choctawhatchee Bay near Tucker
Bayou. At approximately 5:15 a.m., the officers observed a boat with two
individuals onboard returning to the boat ramp.
During the boating safety equipment inspection, the officers determined
the vessel was returning from a fishing trip. The fisheries inspection
revealed a total of 26 harvested flounder and two red drum. The bag
limit for flounder is ten per person per day.
Upon closer inspection, the red drum were illegally harvested by gigging
and one was undersized; the minimum size limit is 18 inches. Both
individuals were cited for possession of over the bag limit of flounder
and for prohibited method of take of red drum.
The boat operator was cited for possession of undersized red drum.
Officer Darrell Johnson
conducted surveillance on a subject at Basin Bayou and observed him
catching large amounts of mullet with a cast net. Officers Espy Letcher
and Don Walker were called to conduct a fishery
inspection as the subject started to leave the area. The inspection
revealed the subject had 128 mullet over the daily bag limit. The fish
were seized and the subject was cited for possession of over the daily
bag limit of mullet.
BAY COUNTY
Officer Mike Nobles was on
water patrol in St. Andrews Bay when he located a subject harvesting bay
scallops. A citation was issued for the illegal harvest and a written
warning was issued for failure to possess
a saltwater fishing license. Ninety- eight live scallops were returned
to the water.
Lt. Jay Chesser was working
in the Econfina Creek Wildlife Management Area when he found a subject
in possession of cannabis. A citation was issued for possession of less
than 20 grams of cannabis. Later in the patrol,
a subject was found drinking beer at Williford Springs next to two signs
forbidding the possession of alcohol. A citation was issued.
Officer Nick Price checked a
fisherman who possessed a cobia that was nine inches undersized. A
citation was issued for the violation.
Officer Joe Chambers
checked a fisherman who advised they had only caught blue runners. A
vessel inspection revealed an insufficient number of personal flotation
devices onboard. Officer Chambers again asked if there
were any fish on the vessel besides the blue runners and the subject
replied that was all they had caught. When asked about a cooler in the
vessel, the fisherman advised there was a Spanish mackerel inside that
he forgot about. Officer Chambers asked to inspect
the fish and the fisherman slightly cracked the cooler lid to retrieve
the fish. Officer Chambers observed the tail of a speckled trout. The
trout was undersized and a citation was issued for the undersized
violation. A written warning was issued for the insufficient
number of personal flotation devices.
GULF COUNTY
Officers Scott Hoffman and
Arnie McMillion conducted a resource inspection with two individuals on a
vessel in St. Joe Bay. The inspection revealed the two were in
possession of eight gallons of scallops, four gallons
over the daily limit. Citations were issued to both subjects.
Officer Scott Hoffman
conducted a resource inspection on a vessel on St. Joe Bay occupied by a
father and son. The inspection revealed the individuals were in
possession of six gallons of scallops, two gallons over
the daily limit. The father was cited for possession of over daily bag
limit.
WASHINGTON COUNTY
While on water patrol on
Holmes Creek, Officer Kathy Jackson observed an individual known to have
had previous fish and wildlife violations. Initially the subject
refused to stop, however he eventually complied.
He began using abusive language toward the officer during the resource
inspection. Officer Jackson found the individual had exceeded the daily
bag limit of black bass and possessed undersized bass. The subject was
cited for both violations.
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