Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Division of Law Enforcement Weekly Report December 27, 2019 through January 9, 2020

(Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.)

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

Division of Law Enforcement Weekly Report

Patrol, Protect, Preserve

December 27, 2019 through January 9, 2020

This report represents some events the FWC handled over the past two weeks;

however, it does not include all actions taken by the Division of Law Enforcement.

NORTHWEST REGION

CASES

GADSDEN COUNTY

While on patrol at High Bluff Landing on Lake Talquin, Officer B. Johnson observed two individuals fishing from the fishing pier. Officer Johnson watched them for about an hour and saw them catch and keep several fish. Officer Johnson approached the individuals to conduct a resource inspection and found one of the individuals in possession of nine striped bass; the longest one was 12 inches and the legal minimum length is 18 inches. The individual also had six striped bass, which is over the legal possession limit of three. The other person was in possession of one striped bass that was 11 inches. The appropriate citations were issued.

GULF COUNTY

Officer Gerber was conducting nighttime land patrols when he observed a subject shining a light from a vehicle on the roadway. An inspection revealed the driver was in possession of a firearm in addition to a hand-held light. A citation was issued for attempting to take deer at night with a gun and light.

HOLMES COUNTY

Officer Parrish was dispatched to a call about a deer hunter’s dog being shot in the Gritney area. Officer Parrish and the Holmes County Sheriff Office both responded to the scene. Officer Parrish determined the hunter let his deer dogs run on a piece of property he was not permitted to hunt. The subject was cited for a misdemeanor hunter responsibility deer dog violation. The Holmes County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the hunter who shot the collared dog.

LEON COUNTY

While on land patrol in the Apalachicola National Forest, Officer B. Johnson came across a group of individuals riding ATVs and UTVs on a designated trail. An inspection discovered several of the vehicles were not properly titled. Lieutenant Wass de Czege arrived on scene to assist. Both officers wrote six citations for the untitled vehicles and gave several warnings.

WAKULLA COUNTY

Officer Specialist B. Morales was on patrol when he received a complaint in reference to a suspicious person at Wakulla Springs State Park. He responded to the area and discovered that a volunteer worker was being harassed by a subject that entered “Volunteer Village”, which is the housing area for the volunteer staff and off limits to the general public. He searched the park and was unable to locate the subject on the property. Officer Specialist Morales spoke with the volunteer worker, who was visibly shaken by the actions of the subject. The Park Manager wanted a trespass warning issued to the subject based on the events that had occurred at the park; the subject illegally entered the volunteer housing area and allegedly caused damage to the volunteer workers vehicle. Officer Specialist Morales was assisted by Lieutenant Wass De Czege and Officer Carr who met him at the subject’s address. The investigation concluded with the subject being issued a trespass warning from Wakulla Springs State Park. The Wakulla County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a felony criminal mischief charge reference to the damage of the volunteer’s vehicle

WASHINGTON COUNTY

Officer Parrish was on patrol at Lucas Lake when he observed a group of duck hunters coming back to the ramp. The vessel had improper navigational lights and empty beer bottles on the deck. The operator displayed signs of impairment, and field sobriety tasks were administered. The operator was arrested for Boating Under the Influence (BUI). Officer Parrish additionally cited the operator an infraction for navigation lights and a warning for the vessel registration. Another hunter was warned for an expired hunting license violation.

Officer Homan was working water patrol on the Choctawhatchee River at Jenkins Landing and observed freshly set bush hooks using bream for bait. Bream is a prohibited gamefish to be used as bait on bush hooks. Officer Homan located a vessel and occupants tending to the set hooks on the river. They were not marking the bush hook sets as required with identification. The appropriate citations were issued.

SEARCH AND RESCUE

WASHINGTON COUNTY

Officers Homan, Brooks, Forehand, Leonard, Rice and Burkhead worked collectively on a search and rescue involving an injured man who was unable to walk out to an accessible location. He was in the Econfina Wildlife Management Area (WMA) hiking the Florida Trail system and was approximately six miles south of Scott Road. The Officers successfully located the injured subject and assisted him out of the woods. Local EMS was on scene to provide necessary medical attention.

http://live.oysterradio.com/