FWC Division of Law Enforcement Weekly Report August 19 through August 25, 2016

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FWC

Division of Law Enforcement

 

 Weekly Report

August 19 through August 25, 2016

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

           

The FWC received a Wildlife Alert complaint from a citizen that saw a suspect pick up a gopher tortoise, place it in his truck, and drive away. A short time later, the truck was located and stopped by the Blountstown Police. FWC Officer Baber took over the investigation and charged the suspect with illegal possession of a gopher tortoise.

ESCAMBIA COUNTY

Officers Allgood, Cushing, Roberson, Manning, Miller and the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Pensacola worked commercial shrimp boats in Pensacola Bay for several nights. Multiple net and safety violations were documented with warnings and citations. A total of four oversized shrimp nets were seized. One of the nets measured more than 900 square feet, almost twice the legal size.

Officers Allgood, Cushing and McHenry worked offshore onboard the FinCat. During an inspection of a commercial reef fish vessel, Officer Allgood discovered a grossly undersized greater amberjack in an ice box. One of the crew members stated that he was going to use it for bait. A federal citation was issued for the violation. While approaching a different vessel during the patrol, the FWC crew noticed a red snapper floating in the water behind it. During the inspection, Officer Allgood located several undersized Spanish mackerel. While alongside, the FWC crew members observed several large red snapper scales on the transom of the vessel. After speaking with the subjects on board, Officer Allgood was directed to a bag of red snapper fillets. Federal citations were issued for the violations.

While approaching a recreational vessel, the FinCat crew observed one subject on board move to the rear of the vessel and throw something out of the vessel. The FWC crew observed a one-gallon bag full of fish fillets floating on the water. During the subsequent vessel inspection, Officers Allgood and McHenry discovered several more bags of fillets including gray triggerfish, greater amberjack, red snapper and another 50‑pound greater amberjack in whole condition. Federal citations were issued for the violations.

Lieutenant Hahr was patrolling in the Perdido River Wildlife Management Area (WMA) when he observed a car pull into an area where nighttime access is prohibited. He made contact with the driver and observed signs of impairment. After field alcohol tasks were performed, he arrested the driver for driving under the influence (DUI). She was transported to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office where she provided a breath sample of .099 almost 2 ½ hours after the stop. She was booked for driving with a breath alcohol level of .08 or above.

JEFFERSON COUNTY

In August 2015, FWC Dispatch received a complaint about the looting of an archaeological site deep within the Aucilla WMA. Since that time, Officers Anderson, Brookes, Johnson, Wilcox, Menard, Reserve Officer Trussell, Investigator Louque, Lieutenant Wass de Czege, FWC Biologist Davis and Department of State Archaeologist Duggins have conducted surveillance on the site. During this investigation, four suspects were identified. On August 12, 2016, arrest warrants were obtained for the four suspects. Officers Anderson, Boutwell, Travis, Bell, Investigator Louque, and Lieutenant Wass de Czege located and arrested three of the four suspects that day. The fourth suspect turned himself in the following day.

On the same weekend of that arrest, Investigator Louque, Officers Boutwell and Mallow, and Lieutenant Wass de Czege were working in a different area of the Aucilla WMA when they caught two men actively digging with shovels on another archaeological site. The two men were booked into the Jefferson County Jail on felony charges for illegal excavation of an archaeological site. One subject was also charged for misdemeanor possession of less than 20 grams of cannabis.

Officers Boutwell, Nelson and Robb were on vessel patrol in the area of the St. Marks Lighthouse when they saw three individuals on a vessel working a spotlight. They watched the vessel for approximately 30 minutes when they heard a shot. After the vessel passed by their location, they conducted a vessel stop to conduct a resource inspection. There were two alligators on the boat. One of them had a CITES tag in its tail and the other did not. Upon further inspection, it became apparent that the CITES tag that was in the gator’s tail was for a lake in Leon County. The two adults were each charged with failing to tag an alligator and using a tag from a different Alligator Management Unit. Both charges are misdemeanors. The alligator and tags were seized as evidence.

OKALOOSA COUNTY

Officer Arnette located a large amount of household garbage that had been dumped along the Yellow River. An inspection of the contents of the garbage revealed the name and address of a suspect. The suspect was later questioned and admitted to dumping the garbage. The garbage has been cleaned up and the subject was cited for littering.

Officer Arnette observed a trap at a gopher tortoise burrow that was positioned to capture the tortoise. He later determined the property which contained the burrow was in the process of being cleared due to construction. A permit had not been issued for the removal of the gopher tortoise which is required when they are present where property will be developed. A subject with a construction company was later identified as the one who set the trap and was charged with the violation.

Officer Corbin was on vessel patrol conducting state fisheries and saltwater license inspections at the Marler Bridge. He observed an anchored boat with three individuals actively fishing and pulled his patrol vessel alongside to conduct a fisheries inspection. The operator initially indicated they only had pinfish on board, but the inspection revealed an undersized red snapper on board. The season for red snapper is closed. The operator acknowledged that he knew the fish was a red snapper and was cited with a notice to appear citation for possession of red snapper during closed season and for no saltwater fishing license.

Officers Pifer and Corbin were on vessel patrol conducting state fisheries and saltwater license inspections in the East Pass/Marler Bridge, and observed a vessel anchored near the Marler Bridge. The officers noticed that an individual on the vessel moved quickly to the back stern of the vessel and retrieved a stringer from the water that had a large fish on it. The officers quickly headed over to the vessel and conducted a fisheries inspection. They observed the individual trying to revive an oversized red drum, but was unsuccessful. Officer Corbin cited the individual with a notice to appear citation.

Officers Pifer and Corbin observed two individuals actively snorkeling with spear guns on the east side under the Marler Bridge. The snorkelers were not displaying a diver down device. Marler Bridge serves as a fishing bridge. A fisheries inspection revealed the two individuals had speared mullet and gray snapper. Both individuals were cited and given notice to appear citations for spearfishing within 100 yards of a bridge where fishing is legally permitted and issued written warnings for not having a diver down device.

Officers Pifer and Corbin were on vessel patrol conducting state fisheries and saltwater license inspections near the Rocky Bayou Bridge. The officers observed two individuals fishing from the shoreline under the bridge. Officer Corbin was taken to the shoreline and exited the patrol vessel. A fisheries inspection revealed an undersized red drum. One individual accepted responsibility for harvesting the undersized red drum and was cited and issued a notice to appear citation.

RESCUES

OKALOOSA COUNTY

Officers Molnar and Jarvis responded to a single vessel boating accident in the Santa Rosa Sound. The operator was backing a 15‑foot vessel (skiff) out of a slip and struck a piling with the stern. The vessel started taking on water and eventually capsized. While interviewing the operator, Officer Molnar noticed he was showing multiple signs of impairment. Once the boating accident investigation was completed, Officer Molnar transitioned into a criminal BUI investigation. After field alcohol tasks were concluded, Officer Molnar arrested the subject for BUI. He was booked into the Okaloosa County Jail for BUI with normal faculties impaired. He was also issued a citation for refusal to submit to a breath sample and failure to maintain proper navigational lookout.

SANTA ROSA COUNTY

Officers Jones, Roberson, Barnard, Rockwell and Trueblood and the USCG responded to a missing boater in the Intracoastal Waterway near the Navarre Causeway. It was reported by fire rescue that two people were on board a small sailing boat when one of them fell overboard. Rescue units worked through the night searching for the missing person. The following morning the missing person was found alive and well at a family member’s residence. The investigation is ongoing.

COMMUNITY ORIENTED POLICING

SANTA ROSA COUNTY

Officers Ramos and Lewis taught the laws portion of the Hunter Safety Course at Avalon Middle School and Jay High School. As hunting season nears, FWC reminds hunters that anyone over the age of 16 and born on or after June 1, 1975, is required to complete the Hunter Safety Course unless using the Hunter Safety mentoring exemption and hunting under the supervision of a qualified hunter.

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