FWC Law Enforcement Weekly Report June 29, 2018 through July 5, 2018

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FWC

 

Division of Law Enforcement Weekly Report

June 29, 2018 through July 5, 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

BAY COUNTY

Officers Brady, Gore and Coker were conducting resource inspections in Grand Lagoon when they saw a vessel with nine people on board returning from fishing. The officers conducted a resource inspection of the vessel and found the individuals to be in possession of 21 red snapper. The bag limit for red snapper is two per person so they could only possess 18. The captain of the vessel was issued a citation for over the bag limit of red snapper.

Officers Gerber, Hayes and Coker were conducting resource inspections of vessels returning from fishing when they saw a vessel with two people on board near the Panama City Marina in St. Andrews Bay. The officers conducted a resource inspection of the vessel and found two gray triggerfish. Gray triggerfish season is closed. The captain of the vessel took responsibility for the violation and was issued a citation.

Officers Gerber, Hayes and Coker were conducting boating safety and resource inspections in St. Andrews Bay when they saw a vessel with two people on board approaching the Hathaway Bridge. As the officers approached the vessel from the bow, they activated their emergency lights and siren to signal the driver that he needed to stop so they could conduct an inspection. The operator looked at the officers and continued for about 150 yards before he came to a stop. During the boating safety inspection of the vessel, the officers noticed that the operator was showing signs of impairment. After conducting field sobriety tests, the officers placed the operator under arrest for BUI and transported him to the Panama City Beach Field Office for a breath sample. The operator refused to provide a sample and was booked into the Bay County Jail.

Lieutenant Allen was conducting resource inspections in St. Andrews State Park of individuals fishing after hours. During one of the inspections, he found one group in possession of a 34.75-inch red drum. Officer Basford arrived to assist with the inspection. One of the individuals took responsibility for the oversized fish and Officer Basford issued him a citation for the violation.

Reserve Officer Cooper was conducting resource inspections in St. Andrews Bay of vessels returning from fishing when he saw a vessel with several people on board returning from the Gulf of Mexico. During a resource inspection of the vessel he found seven gray triggerfish in the fish box. Gray triggerfish season is closed. The captain of the vessel took responsibility for the violation and was issued a citation for possession of gray triggerfish during closed season.

Reserve Officer Cooper was conducting resource inspection in St. Andrews Bay of vessels returning from fishing when he saw a vessel with one person on board returning from the Gulf of Mexico. During a resource inspection of the vessel he found three gray triggerfish in a compartment on the vessel. Each of the three gray triggerfish were less than the 15-inch minimum size requirement and the season is closed. He issued the operator of the vessel a citation for the possession of gray triggerfish during closed season and warnings for possession of undersized gray triggerfish as well as for over the bag limit.

CALHOUN COUNTY

While patrolling on the Apalachicola River, Officers Hayes and Homan checked an individual who had five striped bass. The officers saw a wet cast net and the individual admitted to catching the striped bass with the net. Charges were filed for taking freshwater game fish by an illegal method.

ESCAMBIA COUNTY

Officers Clark, Allgood, Manning and Long teamed up in two vessels to work a saltwater fisheries enforcement detail in the Gulf of Mexico. During their patrol, they discovered two different for hire charter boats fishing in federal waters that did not have the proper licenses. A vessel captain conducting a charter fishing trip in federal waters for reef fish is required to have a federal reef fish permit. In addition, one of the charter vessels possessed two king mackerel, which requires a separate permit to possess a coastal migratory species on a for hire vessel. Three federal citations were issued for the violations.

Officer Allgood and Captain Glover were on vessel patrol in the Gulf of Mexico south of Pensacola when the officers arrived on an artificial reef where several vessels were fishing. One of the vessels in the group noticed the officers approaching and attempted to leave the area. As Officer Allgood approached the vessel, the operator spun his vessel around to attempt to conceal the left side of the vessel. Officer Allgood maneuvered his patrol vessel to the left side of the subject’s vessel and Captain Glover boarded the vessel. Captain Glover saw an amberjack laying on the deck of the boat which is currently closed for harvest. After inspection of the fish box, Captain Glover found another undersized amberjack on board the vessel. The operator was issued two federal citations for amberjack out of season and not landing fish in whole condition.

Officer Long was on vessel patrol and stopped a vessel for violating the wake zone near Galvez Landing. After a boating safety inspection, Officer Long noticed several fish tails protruding from the cooler on the vessel. A fisheries inspection revealed that the operator was in possession of five king mackerel, two over the daily bag limit. The operator was issued a citation for over the bag limit of king mackerel and violation of the idle speed zone.

JACKSON COUNTY

Officers Forehand and Scott were conducting boating safety vessel patrols on Merritts Mill Pond. As they neared one of the boat ramps, a vessel pulled alongside them and the operator asked if they would like to race. The officers noticed the operator’s speech was slurred and they smelled the odor of an alcoholic beverage. The officers conducted a boating safety inspection and BUI investigation. The officers administered field sobriety tasks and based on the results and other indicators, the operator was placed under arrest for BUI. He provided a breath sample which registered .100 blood alcohol content and .101 blood alcohol content.

Officers Forehand and Scott were on vessel patrol on the Apalachicola River when they saw a person throwing a cast net. When the officers approached, the individual put down the cast net and picked up a fishing pole. The officers located several bream that were harvested with the cast net. The subject was cited for taking freshwater game fish by an illegal method.

OKALOOSA COUNTY

Officer Bartlett was on vessel patrol in the Destin Harbor conducting boating safety inspections. The officer received information from the U.S. Coast Guard regarding an ongoing vessel stop they were conducting at the Brooks Bridge. The operator of the vessel had shown signs of impairment. After arriving on scene, Officer Bartlett established communication with the operator. He saw the operator’s speech was slurred and was having a tough time understanding his questions. The operator had difficulty in completing the vessel safety inspection and performed poorly on field sobriety tasks (FST). The operator was arrested for BUI and provided two breath samples resulting in a 0.170 blood alcohol content and 0.167 blood alcohol content. The operator was transported to Okaloosa County Jail.

Officers Pifer and Jernigan were on vessel patrol conducting boating safety inspections in the Destin/Crab Island area. The officers saw a 24-foot vessel with four individuals on board on the southeast side of Crab Island towards the Marler Bridge drifting with the outgoing tide. They saw the vessel for several minutes as it continued to drift closer and closer to the bridge and saw the operator stumble twice. The starboard side of the vessel struck the bridge and the four individuals on board began to push the vessel away from the bridge. A vessel stop was initiated to conduct a boating safety inspection and determine if their vessel sustained any damage. Officer Pifer contacted the operator and immediately noticed his speech was slow and slurred and his eyes were glassy. The officer saw a large trash bag behind the helm full of empty beer cans. During the boating safety inspection, the operator was unsteady on his feet and was unable to locate the requested PFDs despite them laying on the deck of the vessel. After the field sobriety tasks, the operator was arrested for BUI. The operator provided two breath samples resulting in 0.178 blood alcohol content and 0.182 blood alcohol content. The operator was transported to Okaloosa County Jail.

Officers Wilkenson, Jarvis, and Corbin were on vessel patrol in Destin/Crab Island area conducting boating safety and resource inspections. The officers saw a pontoon style vessel leaving the south side of Crab Island with fishing equipment displayed. The vessel had seven subjects on board. As the officers pulled their patrol vessel alongside the pontoon, the operator was instructed to put the throttle of the vessel in neutral. The operator was slow to respond, looked in the officers’ direction and appeared dazed. Officer Jarvis conducted the boating safety and resource inspection and noticed an open can of beer next to the operator. He asked if they had been fishing and they stated no. He asked to look inside the cooler and found bottles of water and wine. The operator agreed to perform field sobriety tasks (FST). After the FSTs, the operator was arrested for BUI. The operator refused to provide a breath sample. He was transported to the Okaloosa County Jail.

Officer Corbin and Lieutenant Hahr were on vessel patrol in Destin/Crab Island area conducting boating safety and resource inspections. The officers saw a vessel in violation of the idle speed, no wake zone on the south side of the Destin Bridge, traveling east toward the Destin Harbor. The vessel was being operated on full plane and the officers instructed the operator to slow down. The operator ignored the officers’ instructions and after continued instruction to slow down the operator complied. In a short period of time, the operator pushed the throttle forward and continued to violate the idle speed, no wake zone again. The officers stopped the vessel to address the violation. They instructed the operator to place the vessel’s throttle in neutral. The operator looked at the officers and continued the vessel’s travel into the Destin Harbor. The operator was again instructed to place the throttle into neutral and he complied. While pulling alongside the vessel, the operator stood up and moved to a different seat. A female subject moved to the captain’s seat. When the officers addressed the idle speed, no wake violation, the operator denied he was driving the boat. Throughout the safety inspection, the operator was unsteady on his feet, losing his balance and bracing himself against objects to regain and maintain his balance. The operator performed field sobriety tasks and was arrested for BUI. The operator refused to provide a breath sample. The operator was transported to the Okaloosa County Jail.

SANTA ROSA COUNTY

Lieutenant Hahr was on vessel patrol on the Blackwater River when he stopped a vessel to address a violation of registration numbering. The subject was operating the vessel with a woman and child on board. Lieutenant Hahr saw indicators of impairment from the operator and after field sobriety tasks, determined that the operator was impaired. The man was arrested and cited for operating a vessel while under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

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