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FWC
Division of Law Enforcement
Weekly Report
May 1, 2015 thru May 7, 2015
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 Goodwin and Hellett stopped a vessel to conduct a boating safety inspection. During the check, they found the vessel to have been rented from a subject on Craigslist. When the vessel was found to not have the proper safety equipment on board, the owner was located and issued a citation for renting the vessel without the proper safety equipment.
Officer Price responded to a vessel that took on water and capsized while trolling just off Panama City Beach. The occupants onboard swam the short distance to shore and the vessel eventually washed up on the beach. None of the occupants were injured and it was determined that the vessel had engine problems which started the chain reaction that led to the capsizing.
Officers T. Basford and Wicker were on water patrol. While conducting a resource inspection on a vessel, they observed a glass pipe and a pill bottle that contained less than 20 grams of cannabis in a tackle box. Citations were issued and the contraband seized.
Officer Price responded to a boating accident in the St. Andrews Pass in which a vessel was reported to have sunk and the occupant swam to shore. Officer Price took statements from witnesses at the scene, but no owner/operator could be located. Officer Price free dove the vessel the following day and found most of the vessel had broken up and was washing out to sea. The vessel’s registration number led Officer Price to the vessel’s owner. A written warning was issued for failure to report a boating accident.
Officers Moore and Brady received a complaint from St. Andrews State Park personnel concerning the aroma of cannabis smoke coming from a campsite. The officers arrived to find three campers in the process of packing to leave. The campers were questioned and one was found in possession of less than 20 grams of cannabis, rolling papers, a grinder and a glass pipe. Another camper was found in possession of two baggies of cannabis. Citations were issued and the contraband seized.
Officer Price checked a vessel returning to dock and found three of its four greater amberjacks were undersized. A citation was issued.
OKALOOSA COUNTY
Investigator Armstrong and Officer Molnar conducted a vessel stop for violation of a restricted speed zone and failure to display required navigational lights. Upon making contact, the operator showed multiple signs of impairment. When the subject refused to perform field sobriety tasks, Officer Molnar placed the subject under arrest for BUI. The subject provided a breath sample of .195 and .199 BRAC. The subject was booked into Okaloosa County Jail and issued two citations.
Officers Pifer and Corbin received information from Investigator Armstrong that two males and one female were keeping illegal redfish in Alaqua Creek. The officers located the three individuals and as they pulled alongside they observed seven redfish onboard the vessel, all of which were undersized. During the investigation, Officer Pifer obtained a sworn statement from the female stating that she had caught five or six of the redfish and that one of the males had caught one redfish. The female was cited for the major violation for exceeding her bag limit by more than three fish, undersized redfish and no saltwater fishing license. The male subject was cited for possession of undersized redfish.
Officers Pifer and Corbin stopped a vessel for violating the idle speed zone around Crab Island. During the boating safety inspection, the officers observed dive gear onboard the vessel and a cooler that was partially open with what appeared to be a greater amberjack inside. A fisheries inspection of the cooler revealed two undersized greater amberjacks and a red snapper. The operator of the vessel claimed possession of the larger greater amberjack and the red snapper. The operator was cited for possession of red snapper during the closed season, violation of the idle speed zone, and two warnings. The passenger was cited for possession of undersized greater amberjack.
SANTA ROSA COUNTY
Officer Lewis, with assistance from Officer Ramos, had another busy weekend in the Blackwater State Forest. In addition to several citations issued for possession of alcoholic beverages in posted areas and driving on closed roads, they charged four subjects with possession of cannabis and possession of drug paraphernalia. Another charge for possession of hash oil is pending.
Officer Jones was on patrol on East Bay where he observed a fisherman in a kayak catch a redfish and put it on his stringer. When the fisherman left the fishing site, Officer Jones stopped him for a routine inspection. The fisherman was found to be in possession of three redfish with the bag limit being two fish per day. The man was charged with the violation.
FWC officers aboard the vessel FINCAT patrolled the Gulf of Mexico in both state and federal waters. During these patrols, several state and federal violations were discovered on several different vessels. Warnings were given for no state fishing license and possession of gray triggerfish during the closed season. Federal citations were issued to persons on different vessels in federal waters for being in possession of red snapper, gray triggerfish, gag grouper and failure to land greater amberjack in whole condition.
WALTON COUNTY
COMMUNITY ORIENTED POLICING
Officer Letcher participated in two public outreach events; the Spring Fling at Bay Elementary School in the Point Washington community and the Coastal Conservation Association Kids Fishing Day in the Grayton Beach community. Both events were a success and Officer Letcher provided information and education to approximately 130 people during the two events.
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