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FWC
Division of Law Enforcement
Weekly Report
July 11 - July 17, 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
There were record crowds at the 2014 Blue Angel Air Show. Considering the sheer number of people and vessels crowded into a small area, the event went very well. FWC Law Enforcement presence had a positive effect. We responded to four medical emergencies, two assists that were turned over to the Sheriff’s Office for battery and three BUI’s. Numerous citations and warnings were issued for underage drinking, boating safety violations and BUI’s. FWC officers checked 1,013 people and 291 vessels issuing over 50 warnings and citations. Following are some of the issues that occurred.
Lieutenant Berryman and Officer Lewis were on water patrol, when they smelled the odor of cannabis. Officer Lewis observed a female sitting on the bow of a boat, bent over and preparing a cannabis pipe. Officer Lewis made her aware of his presence and charged her with possession of not more than 20 grams of cannabis and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Lieutenant Hahr and Officer Hutchinson were patrolling Little Sabine Bay, when they observed several subjects consuming alcoholic beverages who appeared to be under the age of 21. Four notices to appear were issued to the underage drinkers.
After the Air Show, Officer Ramos and Reserve Officer Hahr were monitoring vessels inside Little Sabine Bayou, when they observed a vessel operating at night without navigation lights. The vessel was stopped and Officer Ramos initiated a boating safety inspection. During the inspection, Officer Ramos detected signs of impairment from the operator and began a BUI investigation. After administering field sobriety tasks, Officer Ramos determined the operator was impaired and placed him under arrest for BUI. The operator was transported to the BUI Command Post where he refused to submit to a breath test. He was charged with BUI and transported to the Escambia County Jail for processing.
While monitoring vessels exiting Little Sabine at the conclusion of the Blue Angels Air Show, FWC officers noticed a vessel operating unusually quickly through the maze of boats and swimmers navigating the narrow channel. The vessel passed a US Coast Guard (USCG) vessel and was warned by the USCG crewmen to slow down. The vessel’s operator complied for a few seconds, then gunned the motor, and continued through the maze of vessels. The FWC officers stopped the vessel and moved out of the channel to discuss the operator’s maneuvering. After a short discussion, the operator showed signs of impairment and Officer Bartlett began a BUI investigation. After completing the battery of tests, Officer Bartlett determined the operator was impaired and placed him under arrest for BUI. The operator was transported to the BUI Command Post where the operator provided two breath samples of .194 and .204. The operator was then transported to the Escambia County Jail for processing.
FRANKLIN COUNTY
Officer Marlow observed a vehicle parked on the side of Highway 98 and observed the hood was still warm. After looking in the area, he observed foot tracks leading to the edge of wetlands approximately 200 yards away from the vehicle and subsequent drag marks through private property. Two individuals were later located in a vessel frogging and were found to be trespassing in the area.
LIBERTY COUNTY
While on foot patrol near Bristol Landing, Officer Mims conducted a boating safety inspection on a small vessel with two occupants. The driver had been drinking and, after showing multiple signs of impairment, the driver was arrested for BUI and booked into the Liberty County Jail.
SANTA ROSA COUNTY
Officer Lewis was on patrol in Blackwater River State Forest at Riley’s Bluff primitive area when, across the river, he observed a male rolling a cannabis cigarette. The male subject smoked the cannabis cigarette and handed it to another male subject. Officer Lewis made his presence known to the subjects and asked them to bring the cannabis cigarette and the rest of the drugs they had with them across the river. The subjects complied. There were seven children in and around the river. After locating the children’s mother to care for the children, Officer Lewis issued the two male subjects misdemeanor citations for possession of not more than 20 grams of cannabis and possession of drug paraphernalia.
The following day, Officer Lewis was at the Red Rock Primitive area when, across the river, he observed a man throw a bottle into the woods and discard a cardboard box onto the ground. Officer Lewis waited for the man and the rest of his group to cross the river and leave the area before he made contact. When the subjects were in the vehicle, Officer Lewis approached them just as the driver of the vehicle threw two soda cans out of the window. The cans barely missed hitting Officer Lewis. Officer Lewis issued citations to the male and female subjects for littering.
WAKULLA COUNTY
Lieutenant Pearce and Officers Marlow and Bunker were working the River Sink Tract of Wakulla Springs State Park. The officers had information received from Lieutenant Hooker and Officer Raker regarding large groups gathering and alcohol consumption. Officer Marlow entered the sink area in plain clothes and observed a large group of individuals drinking alcohol and smoking marijuana at the main sink area. Lieutenant Pearce and Officer Bunker arrived to assist and 11 citations and 9 warnings were written for possession of marijuana and consumption of alcohol.
Officer Marlow observed a vehicle briefly turn on its headlights in a marsh area of Wakulla County. Three individuals were attempting to cast net bait and were smoking and in possession of additional marijuana. Officer Hoelscher and Lieutenant Pearce arrived to assist. All three subjects were cited for less than 20 grams of marijuana. All three will be placed in a civil diversionary program in lieu of prosecution.
COP (Community Oriented Policing)
Investigator Wilkenson received an invitation from the Escambia County Environmental Enforcement Division to participate in an outreach event with a neighborhood watch group. Investigator Wilkenson spoke of the responsibilities and core missions of FWC and the role FWC plays in the protection of Florida’s natural resources through education, investigations, and enforcement of environmental crimes.
Investigators Wilkenson and Nelson and Lieutenant Clark participated in an outreach event regarding the commercialization of businesses operating on Crab Island as it relates to public safety. The meeting was held at the USCG Station Destin. The meeting involved multiple agencies as follows: County Commissioner, USCG, Military Security Force, Okaloosa County Tax Collector, Okaloosa Sheriff’s Office, Department of Health, Department of Environmental Protection, Department of Agriculture, and County Code Enforcement. The goal of the meeting was to establish who has statutory/regulatory authority in regulating the commercial industries. FWC involvement was related to boating safety, vessel versus floating structure, marine sanitation device, and commercial use of submerged land lease.
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