FWC Law Enforcement Weekly Report 11/14 - 11/20/2014

(Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.) FWC Division of Law Enforcement   Weekly Report November 14 – November 20, 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 BAY COUNTY Officer N. Basford was checking park passes at the entrance to St. Andrews State Park and made contact with three subjects in a vehicle entering the park. She could smell the odor of burnt cannabis emanating from the interior of the vehicle. She asked the operator if there was anything in the vehicle she should know about, advising the operator that she could smell the cannabis. The operator produced a glass smoking pipe with residue in it. Officer Basford searched the vehicle and found no other drugs. The operator was issued a notice to appear for drug paraphernalia. Officer Palmer received a complaint concerning a deer that had been taken illegally from a private lease.  Officer Palmer responded and found footprints (two sets of tennis shoes) and evidence of something being dragged out.  Lieutenant Chesser arrived to assist and a gentleman at a nearby trailer was asked if he had seen anybody leaving the lease or if he had heard any gunshots the previous day.  The man said he had heard a few shots he thought were from a small caliber rifle and later saw two teenagers exit the woods down the road.  A small neighborhood was located adjacent to the lease and Lieutenant Chesser and Officer Palmer began checking the area for any clues.  One trailer was located and an individual was asked if he knew anything about the incident.  He confessed to killing a deer. The deer meat was located and antlers were seized.  The violators had been squirrel hunting when they jumped the deer, shot it, and drug it back to their home.  Citations for trespassing and illegal method of take were issued due to it being archery season. JACKSON COUNTY Officer Forehand was on patrol in the early morning hours when he observed four subjects each using a handheld light out in a cultivated peanut field searching the area as if looking for something. Officer Forehand conducted surveillance on the subjects for a short time thinking they may be attempting to recover illegally harvested game and trespassing. After some time, the subjects returned to their vehicle and began to exit the field at which time Officer Forehand made contact with them. It was discovered that the subjects were trespassing in the cultivated field in an attempt to locate arrowheads and other artifacts. A search of their vehicle revealed four separate bags containing flint and other artifacts, several baggies containing methamphetamine, two glass smoking pipes and one metal smoking pipe, all containing methamphetamine residue. Two of the subjects were booked into the Jackson County Jail for possession of methamphetamines and drug paraphernalia. Trespass charges are pending. SANTA ROSA COUNTY Officer Jones was on patrol in a closed area of the Eglin Wildlife Management Area (WMA). While driving a remote dirt road, he encountered two hunters who were armed with long guns during archery only season.  Both subjects fled on foot.  Officer Jones, who was alone at the time, captured one suspect.  The 33‑year‑old male was charged with hunting in a closed area, using a firearm during archery season, interference with an FWC officer, as well as license violations.  Eglin Range Patrol also suspended the suspect’s Eglin permit for three years.  Officers Barnard, Rockwell, and K-9 Officer Pineda responded and assisted. Officers Lewis and Ramos were on forest patrol in Blackwater River State Forest when they observed a bonfire and keg party in a clay pit.  Officer Lewis found three subjects attempting to hide a keg in the woods surrounding the clay pit.  While the officers were issuing citations to the partygoers, a vehicle drove into the clay pit in an attempt to join the party, not knowing the officers were there. The officers issued four misdemeanor citations for possession of alcoholic beverages by a person under 21 years of age and four citations for operating a vehicle off the established road in a state forest.

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