FWC Law Enforcement Weekly Report January 12, 2018 through January 18, 2018

FWC

 

Division of Law Enforcement

Weekly Report

January 12, 2018 through January 18, 2018

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

CASES

CALHOUN COUNTY

Officers Alsobrooks, Coker and Hayes were working night hunting when Officer Alsobrooks observed a truck on a county road traveling at a slow rate of speed. The truck continued to travel slowly while a spotlight out the passenger window illuminated clear-cut fields. Officer Alsobrooks followed the truck for approximately two miles and observed the passenger using the spotlight sweeping every clear-cut field they passed. The truck was heading in the direction where the other two officers were positioned. When the vehicle and officers met, a traffic stop was conducted. A female was operating the truck and a male passenger was using the spotlight. The occupants were in possession of a 30-06 rifle and ammunition. Appropriate charges and warnings were issued for the violations.

Officer Baber was conducting surveillance on a farm field and a newly cleared area. At approximately 8:00 pm, he saw a truck drive by slowly with a spotlight being used out of the driver’s side window. Officer Baber conducted a traffic stop and found the driver had a loaded .22 caliber rifle in the passenger seat. The suspect was issued a notice to appear for the violations.

ESCAMBIA COUNTY

Officers Clark and Long discovered a large amount of trash dumped along a road way in Escambia County. They dug through the trash and found the name and address of an individual they suspected dumped the trash. They located the subject and interviewed him and he admitted the trash belonged to him and that he dumped it along the roadside. The subject was issued a notice to appear for dumping.

FRANKLIN COUNTY

Officers Kossey and Travis were working duck hunting activity in Apalachicola Bay. After checking multiple vessels, they observed a vessel returning to the 10 Foot Hole Boat Ramp after dark operating without navigation lights. They stopped the vessel to address the violation. After stopping the vessel, they observed that the subjects were returning from duck hunting. The subjects stated they had killed a limit of blue bills and presented the ducks. After a thorough search of the vessel the officers located an additional nine blue bills stuffed into a chair bag. All three occupants were cited for over the bag limit.

While working deer hunting activity in the Apalachicola Wildlife Environmental Area, Officers Kossey and Travis located a subject hunting in Bloody Bluff with a short horn spike on his dog box. The subject initially stated that his son had shot the deer, but after a short investigation, he recanted his story and stated he had shot the deer. They cited the subject for taking an antlerless deer. Later that afternoon the officers encountered another subject in the Bear Creek area. They observed blood on the trunk of his car and a deer leg sticking out of the trunk. They stopped the car and a subsequent search revealed an illegal deer (spike) in the trunk of the vehicle. The subject was cited for taking a spike deer in the Apalachicola Wildlife Environmental Area.

While working oyster enforcement in the Eastpoint area of Apalachicola Bay, Officers Sauls and Matechik observed a boat traveling east in the Eastpoint Channel towards Barber’s Seafood. When the operator of the vessel saw the officers waiting by the dock, he turned around and threw two bags of oysters overboard. The officers stopped the subject and he stated he would rather throw his catch over than receive a ticket for undersized oysters. The subject was cited for interference with an FWC Officer.

While on land patrol working hunting activity in the Apalachicola Wildlife Management Area, Officer Raker observed a vehicle traveling north on Ashley Landing Road displaying a light in a manner capable of disclosing the presence of wildlife. During a vehicle stop, the occupants were advised that a resource inspection would be conducted. During the inspection, the odor of marijuana was present. A search of the immediate area where the subject was seated in the vehicle revealed a small glass pipe under the seat. The subject was appropriately cited for the violation.

JACKSON COUNTY

Officer Hayes received information that five subjects harvested 39 wood ducks. He and Officer Forehand began an investigation and they located photographs of the subjects and ducks. All of the subjects were interviewed and all admitted to shooting the ducks. Appropriate charges for taking over the bag limit of wood ducks were filed.

Lieutenant Allen and Officer Forehand located an area where a known convicted felon was deer hunting. They located the suspect’s blind and conducted surveillance of the area. The suspect came out of the blind approximately two hours after legal hunting hours and was not in possession of a firearm. The officers went to the suspect’s blind and found a loaded .243 caliber rifle. The suspect was issued a notice to appear for the hunting violations and charged directly through the State Attorney’s Office for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

OKALOOSA COUNTY

Officer Corbin was on land patrol near the Fort Walton Beach Landing when he observed a sailboat tied to the dock/boat ramp. Two individuals were on the vessel with one individual actively fishing. Two other individuals were interacting with the subjects on the boat. The subjects were sharing a small smoking pipe, and after inhaling, would pass it to another person. During a resource inspection, the subjects admitted they were smoking cannabis. Officer Corbin recovered and seized a small smoking pipe and a bag containing cannabis. Two of the subjects were issued a notice to appear citations for possession of drug paraphernalia and the other subject was issued a notice to appear citation for possession of cannabis.

Officer Corbin was on land patrol near the Fort Walton Beach Landing when he recognized a vessel tied to the dock that was previously anchored in the Destin Harbor. The officer contacted the registered vessel owner who advised he sold the boat in November 2017. The individual provided the officer with the new owner name/contact information. Officer Corbin contacted the new owner. The new owner confirmed that he purchased the vessel in November 2017. The officer asked for the bill of sale. The new owner stated the document got wet and he threw it away, but did provide the vessel’s title. The new owner was issued a notice to appear citation for failure to transfer vessel title within the thirty days from the date of purchase.

SANTA ROSA COUNTY

Lieutenant Lambert arrived at Boiling Creek Boat Ramp in Eglin WMA a little after sunset. There were two trucks with boat trailers parked at the ramp. A brief time later, he heard several wood ducks fly over and heard multiple gun shots from two locations, one north of the boat ramp and one south of the boat ramp. The shooting continued until approximately 35 minutes after sunset. During waterfowl season, ducks can legally be hunted until sunset. The vessels arrived back at the ramp, one vessel from the north location and one from the south location. Lieutenant Lambert interviewed the subjects, they both possessed duck hunting equipment along with wood ducks. The subjects were cited and warned for several violations to include hunting ducks after hours, unplugged shotgun and various boating safety violations.

WALTON COUNTY

Officer Bartlett was on land patrol in the Freeport area when he was approached by a Walton County Deputy about a vessel located at Marsh Landing. The deputy advised the vessel was tied up to the dock and there was a white male living on the vessel. Officer Bartlett arrived at Marsh Landing and contacted the individual on the boat. The vessel displayed an expired registration since 2001. The officer determined the individual was also the vessel’s owner. The boat owner stated he purchased the boat several months ago and provided the vessel’s title documentation. The new owner had yet to transfer the vessel’s title to his name. Officer Bartlett explained per statute he has thirty days to transfer the vessel title to his name. The officer stated he would returnin thirty days to verify the transfer occurred. The officer then issued the boat owner several written warnings related required safety equipment. When the officer returned thirty days later, the vessel owner still had not complied with vessel transfer and was issued a notice to appear citation for failure to transfer title.

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