FWC Division of Law Enforcement Weekly Report July 24, 2015 thru July 30, 2015

(Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.) FWC Division of Law Enforcement   Weekly Report July 24, 2015 thru July 30, 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 Officer Brady was on water patrol in St. Andrews Pass when he observed two rental PWCs whose operators weren’t wearing the required personal floatation devices (PFDs).  The two PWCs were stopped and the operators said they knew they were supposed to be wearing PFDs, but the vendor didn’t give them any to wear.  Officer Brady gave the operators PFDs to wear and followed them back to the rental stand where the vendor said he just forgot to give them the PFDs.  Citations were issued for the violations. ESCAMBIA COUNTY Lieutenant Hahr was patrolling in the Perdido River Wildlife Management Area when he observed a man and woman, along with three juveniles, preparing to leave the recreation area known as Fillingim Landing.  He observed both persons drinking alcoholic beverages and both appeared to be very intoxicated.  After returning to his truck, he observed the woman driving out and stopped her just out of the parking lot.  He observed strong signs of impairment and the woman refused to do any sobriety tasks.  Lieutenant Hahr asked her for a driver license and she told him that she did not have one.  Meanwhile, the other subject, despite seeing Lieutenant Hahr talking to his girlfriend, got into his truck and prepared to leave the area.  Lieutenant Hahr stopped him and determined that he was also impaired.  Both subjects were arrested for DUI and the woman was also charged with driving without a driver license.  The woman provided a breath sample of .165 and the man provided a breath sample of .205. OKALOOSA COUNTY Officers Corbin and Molnar conducted a vessel stop for careless operation. Upon investigation, it was determined there were two separate operators of the vessel.  One of the subjects showed multiple signs of impairment.  When asked, the subject refused to perform field sobriety tasks. Based on the observed indicators of impairment, Officer Molnar arrested the subject for BUI. The subject refused to provide a breath sample and was transported to the Okaloosa County Jail. Officer Hutchinson responded to a complaint from Northwest Florida Water Management District personnel regarding a truck stuck in a wetlands area in the Yellow River Wildlife Management Area.  He located the truck and contacted the owner.  When the owner arrived at the scene, he was riding with a friend that had a suspended driver license.  The stranded truck had a license plate attached that was not assigned and the damage done to the wetlands was substantial.  The owner of the truck was charged with damaging state lands with a motor vehicle and attaching a tag not assigned.  The other man was charged with driving on a suspended driver license. While in the same area, Officer Hutchinson was directed to a fresh pile of garbage within the Yellow River Wildlife Management Area. He located several items of trash with the owner’s name and made contact with the woman.  She admitted to dumping the trash to clean out her truck and was charged with criminal littering (over 15 pounds).  The trash was removed and weighed 92 pounds. Officers Corbin and Molnar conducted a vessel stop for failure to display an all-around white stern light. Upon investigation, the operator was showing signs of impairment. When asked, the subject admitted to drinking alcohol and taking prescription drugs throughout the day.  The subject refused to perform field sobriety tasks.  Officer Molnar arrested the subject for BUI based on his observations.  The subject was charged with BUI and refusal to submit. A citation for failure to display required navigational lights and expired registration certificate was also issued. The subject was transported and booked into Okaloosa County Jail. SANTA ROSA COUNTY FWC officers received a report of two paddle boarders who were being harassed by two individuals on a vessel in the area of Navarre Beach, Santa Rosa Sound.  It was reported that the operator of the vessel intentionally circled the victims, knocking them off of their paddle boards.  While the victims were in the water, the vessel struck one of the paddle boards causing damage to the board.  Officers Livesay, Tolbert, Jones, Miller, and Investigator Schafer responded to the area of the hit and run.  After a brief search of the area, officers located a vessel and two subjects onboard who matched the description.  The victims were interviewed along with eyewitnesses and it was confirmed that the officers had the correct suspects.  One of the victims received minor injuries and was treated by EMS and released.  The operator of the vessel was arrested and booked into the Santa Rosa County Jail for aggravated battery.  The passenger on the vessel was interviewed and released. WALTON COUNTY Investigator Armstrong and the Walton County Sheriff’s Office have been gathering intelligence on a group of subjects who were possibly involved in drug activity aboard a vessel.  Information was relayed that the subjects were aboard the vessel.  Officers Corbin and Molnar located the vessel underway flounder gigging with three persons onboard. Upon inspection, one subject was found to be in possession of a glass smoking device, commonly used to smoke methamphetamine, and various items of drug paraphernalia.  Another subject was found to be in possession of 4.3 grams of methamphetamine, 5.2 grams of cannabis, hydromorphone pill and drug paraphernalia.  One subject was arrested and charged with possession of drug paraphernalia. The other subject was arrested and charged with possession of methamphetamine, possession of cannabis less than 20 grams, possession of controlled substance without a prescription and possession of drug paraphernalia.  Both subjects were transported to the Walton County Jail.

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