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.
NORTHWEST REGION
ESCAMBIA COUNTY
Officers John Bell and Sulin Schafer were on water patrol in Pensacola Pass when they observed a vessel returning from the Gulf of Mexico. Upon stopping the vessel to conduct a boating safety inspection, the officers found the eight occupants onboard in possession of 19 red snapper, which is three over the legal possession limit. The owner/operator was cited for possession of over the bag limit of red snapper.
Officers Ben Pineda and David Jernigan were on water patrol in Pensacola Bay near the Naval Air Station when they observed a vessel returning from the Gulf of Mexico. Upon stopping the vessel for a boating safety inspection, the officers determined the occupants had been saltwater fishing and were in possession of harvested fish. A fisheries inspection revealed filleted red snapper, grouper, and king mackerel. Citations were issued to the two occupants for failure to land red snapper, grouper, and king mackerel in whole condition.
Officers Ben Pineda and Nick Barnard were on water patrol in the Intracoastal Waterway when they approached a stopped personal watercraft (PWC) to conduct a boating safety inspection. The officers observed the PWC passenger smoking. When the passenger saw the patrol vessel approaching, he quickly extinguished the object and placed it in his left front pocket. When the officers asked about the object, at first the passenger claimed he had been smoking a cigarette and had tossed it overboard. When the officers informed him that they had witnessed him place the object in his left front pocket, the passenger produced a pipe with what appeared to be marijuana residue. The PWC operator produced a small metal box containing marijuana and rolling papers. The officers cited the operator and passenger for possession of less than 20 grams of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Lt. Dan Hahr was conducting enhanced patrol in the Perdido River Wildlife Management Area when he observed an individual leaving the Pipes recreation area. He had cited the individual the previous week for possession of alcoholic beverages in the management area and suspected the subject did not have a driver’s license even though he was driving a car. Lieutenant Hahr stopped the subject and found him and his passenger in possession of open containers of beer. Lieutenant Hahr cited the driver for driving without a driver’s license. He cited the driver and passenger for possession of an open container of alcoholic beverage.
Officers Ben Pineda and Nick Barnard were on water patrol in Pensacola Bay when they conducted a fisheries inspection on a vessel at anchor with two occupants. The occupants were actively fishing with rods and reels and claimed to have only caught one red snapper. The fisheries inspection revealed two additional red snapper in a second bucket, hidden under bait. Measurement of the additional snapper revealed they were grossly undersized. The passenger onboard did not possess a valid saltwater fishing license. Citations were issued to the vessel operator for possession of undersized and over the bag limit of red snapper. The passenger was cited for failure to possess a valid saltwater fishing license.
Lt. Brian Lambert was checking vessels returning to Shoreline Park Boat Ramp in Gulf Breeze. During a safety inspection, a vessel operator showed signs of impairment. After performing poorly on several sobriety tasks, Lieutenant Lambert arrested the individual and transported him to the Santa Rosa County Jail. A breath sample was taken which resulted in a reading of .160 g/210L.
Officers Ben Pineda and John Bell were on water patrol in Pensacola Bay near the Naval Air Station when they observed a vessel returning from the Gulf of Mexico. When the vessel was stopped for a boating safety inspection, the officers determined the occupants had been saltwater fishing and were in possession of harvested fish. A fisheries inspection revealed the vessel operator to be over the bag limit of red snapper and in possession of gag grouper during the closed season. The officers cited the vessel operator for over the bag limit of red snapper. A written warning was issued for possession of gag grouper during the closed season.
Lt. Dan Hahr was conducting enhanced patrol in the Perdido River Wildlife Management Area when he observed two young men pull up to a sandbar. The young men began drinking beer and fishing along the bank. When both subjects were done with their beer, they held their cans under the water until the cans sank and left them in the river. Upon contact with the subjects, Lieutenant Hahr determined one of the subjects was only 18 years old. The underage drinker was cited for possession of alcoholic beverages by a person under the age of 21. Both fishermen were cited for littering and possession of alcoholic beverages in a management area.
Officer Kenneth Manning responded to a vessel accident involving a personal watercraft (PWC) and an 18‑foot vessel. The PWC was being operated after legal hours when it broadsided the vessel near the Oriole Beach Boat Ramp in Gulf Breeze. The PWC operator was not injured, but a passenger on the vessel sustained injury to his ribs and a cut on his elbow as a result of the collision. Officer Manning is investigating the accident. Charges are pending.
Officers Gary Ridaught and Randy Webb observed three subjects drinking alcohol on a vessel in the Quiet Water Beach. The officers discovered all three subjects were under 21 years old. Citations were issued for underage drinking.
SANTA ROSA COUNTY
Officer David Jernigan and Lt. Dan Hahr were working the fireworks show on the Blackwater River when they observed a man bow-riding on a vessel. The officers recognized the vessel from an earlier report in which the vessel was described and the occupants were said to be drinking heavily. While speaking to the operator, the officers detected signs of impairment. The subject performed poorly on field sobriety tasks and was arrested for boating under the influence. He was taken to jail where he refused to submit to a breath test.
OKALOOSA COUNTY
Officers Matt Webb, Don Walker, and Lt. Keith Clark were on vessel patrol conducting boating safety inspections and state fisheries inspections near Destin Pass when they observed a local charter boat returning from the Gulf of Mexico. With the owner’s consent, Officer Webb boarded the vessel and conducted a fisheries inspection. The inspection revealed the charter captain’s state license expired in 2007. The charter captain was cited for the violation.
Officers Matt Webb, Don Walker, and Lt. Keith Clark were on vessel patrol conducting boating safety inspections in the Destin area when they were dispatched to a domestic violence complaint occurring on Crab Island. The victim advised that he was cut by a knife during an argument. The incident occurred on a houseboat that the officers located at anchor in very shallow water. Officer Webb accessed the houseboat on foot and made contact with the victim. The male occupant had an obvious wound to his hand and claimed a female onboard intentionally cut him during a domestic disturbance. Both individuals were removed from the houseboat to the patrol vessel and transported to the U.S. Coast Guard Station Destin where an Okaloosa County sheriff’s deputy conducted an investigation. The female occupant was later arrested for domestic violence. The male refused medical treatment.
Officers Pete Rockwell, Ryan Nelson, and Ken White were on vessel patrol in federal waters when they observed several individuals on an anchored boat actively fishing with rods and reels. The owner/operator stated they caught seven to eight red snapper. The fisheries inspection revealed eight harvested red snapper in one cooler and another cooler with five red snapper fillets. The owner/operator was cited for the federal violation.
Around 6:30 a.m., Lt. Keith Clark was notified of a missing 16‑year‑old swimmer in Santa Rosa Sound at Spectre Island, which is near the Hurlburt Field Boat Ramp. According to the parents, two brothers ages 16 and 18 were camping on Spectre Island and went swimming about 1:30 a.m. The 18‑year‑old returned to the campsite while his brother continued to swim. At 3 a.m., when the 16‑year‑old had not returned and could not be located by his family, the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), FWC, and Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office began a vessel search grid on the drift pattern based on calculations provided by USCG Mobile Sector. A USCG helicopter out of Mobile, Alabama, assisted in the search. Investigator Eddie Gatlin and Officer Ken White assisted using a vessel equipped with side-scan sonar. Approximately four hours later, a sheriff’s deputy located the 16-year‑old male safe and sound at a local convenience store.
Lt. Mark Hollinhead and Officer Ken White responded to a disabled recreational vessel approximately 15 miles out in the Gulf of Mexico. The vessel had lost power with seven occupants onboard. One of the occupants was diabetic and was overdue taking his medication. When the vessel was located, the diabetic subject was very lethargic. The FWC patrol vessel transported the victim to the Destin Coast Guard Station’s emergency medical crew. Coast Guard officers transported the remaining occupants back to shore.
Officer Matt Webb and Capt. Mary Sumner were on vessel patrol near Crab Island when they stopped a vessel for a boating safety inspection. The safety inspection revealed the vessel was short one life jacket. During the safety inspection, Officer Webb observed signs of impairment from the operator. The operator performed poorly on field sobriety tasks and was transported to the U.S. Coast Guard Station Destin for a breath test. A breath sample was given, resulting in a reading of .155 g/210L. The subject was arrested for Boating Under the Influence and was cited for insufficient life jackets. Due to the high volume of traffic from the July 4 fireworks celebrations, the officers transported the arrested individual across the bay to awaiting sheriff’s deputies for transport to the Okaloosa County Jail.
Officer Andy Maltais was conducting boating safety inspections in the Santa Rosa Sound near Brooks Bridge during and after the Fort Walton Beach fireworks display. Officer Maltais was monitoring his VHF radio when a distress call came over the radio at approximately 11 p.m. concerning a disabled vessel near Choctaw Beach. Officer Maltais responded and located the distressed vessel, a rental pontoon. Officer Maltais provided assistance to the occupants and owner of the pontoon, insuring the safe delivery of the occupants and boat to Cinco Bayou.
Officers Don Walker and Randall Brooks were conducting boating safety inspections during and after the Niceville fireworks display when they were dispatched to a boating accident at Joe’s Bayou. Upon arrival, the officers discovered two vessels involved, a 40‑foot Silverton and a 38‑foot Ocean Yacht. Both vessels were underway at the time of the incident and both incurred minor damage. The investigation is ongoing and possible charges are pending.
BAY COUNTY
Officers Dennis Palmer and Kenny Atkins were working off Crooked Island Sound when they checked a fisherman who said he caught one Spanish mackerel. When the officers proceeded to check the cooler, the subject admitted that there was one other fish there, but he didn’t know what it was. The Spanish mackerel turned out to be an undersized king mackerel and the unknown fish was an undersized cobia. A warning was issued for the king mackerel and a citation issued for the cobia.
Officer Mike Nobles checked a fisherman in North Bay who had a redfish with a tail that had been shortened by a knife in an attempt to make it a legal size. The fisherman had incorrectly measured the fish so despite his attempts, the fish was still oversized by half an inch. A citation was issued.
Officer Dennis Palmer checked two separate subjects in possession of scallops collected in the closed area of Crooked Island Sound. Citations were issued and the scallops were returned to the water.
GULF COUNTY
Officer Hal Webb stopped a vessel in St. Joe Bay to conduct an inspection. Officer Webb located scallops in two different places on the vessel and determined after counting the scallops that the individual was four gallons over his daily bag limit for the four people on board. A citation was issued.
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