FWC Division of Law Enforcement Weekly Report September 2 through September 8, 2016

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FWC

Division of Law Enforcement

 

Weekly Report

September 2 through September 8, 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

OKALOOSA COUNTY

Officers Pifer and Corbin were on vessel patrol conducting state fisheries inspections at the East Pass/Marler Bridge. The officers performed a fisheries inspection on a vessel returning from the Gulf of Mexico which revealed an undersized king mackerel. The vessel operator was cited and issued a notice to appear.

Officer Corbin assisted a Florida Highway Patrol trooper with a vehicle crash investigation. At some point during the trooper’s investigation, the driver of the vehicle escaped from the trooper’s vehicle while still handcuffed. Officer Bartlett came to the scene to assist in the search and attempt to apprehend the escaped felon. Just prior to midnight, Officers Corbin and Bartlett located the fleeing felon in a wooded area on the Eglin Wildlife Management Area (WMA). The driver had moved the handcuffs from his back to the front of his body, but the officers un-handcuffed and repositioned the cuff to the back. The driver again attempted to escape by trying to pull away and kicking at the officers. The driver was eventually placed in the prisoner cage in the back of the FWC patrol truck.

Officer Nichols was conducting off-road patrol on Roberts Pond Unit in the Eglin WMA and conducted a traffic stop on a white truck to verify the occupants had valid Eglin Recreation Permits. While making contact with the driver, Officer Nichols observed approximately 11 bags of harvested saw palmetto berries in the bed of the truck. He asked the occupants for their identification and Eglin Recreation Permits and they stated they did not have any permits and provided their identification. The harvest of saw palmetto berries season is closed. Officer Nichols requested Eglin Range Patrol to assist. Investigator Armstrong, Officers P. Rockwell and Maltais also arrived on scene to assist. Officer Nichols charged the occupants with no recreational permit and issued written warnings for possession or removal of saw palmetto berries from any WMA. Eglin Range Patrol issued trespass warnings to the occupants and escorted the vehicle out of the area.

Officer Pifer and Lieutenant Clark were on land patrol conducting a state/federal fisheries inspection of a commercial fishing vessel at a local wholesale dealer. The commercial vessel failed to land within the timeframe based on the vessel’s landing notification per Code of Federal Regulations and was approximately 1 1/2 hours late. The fisheries inspection revealed the vessel operator failed to declare weight on all species under the Individual Fishing Quote Program (IFQ). The operator and crewman were run through the NCIC and FCIC, and the Tallahassee Regional Communication Center (TRCC) confirmed the operator had an active warrant for violation of probation. The operator was arrested and an Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Deputy transported him to the Okaloosa County Jail.

Officers Bartlett and Pifer were on night vessel patrol in the Intracoastal Waterway/Santa Rosa Sound and observed a vessel not displaying the required navigational lights near Liza Jackson Park. During the subsequent vessel stop, the officers noticed the operator displayed slurred speech and appeared to be disoriented. He was unsteady on his feet and his eyes were watery and glassy. The field sobriety task performed by the operator showed indicators of impairment and the operator was arrested for BUI and transported to the Okaloosa County Jail. The operator refused to provide a sample of his breath. The operator was also cited for failure to display navigational lights.

Officers Pifer and Corbin were on vessel patrol conducting state fisheries and license inspections in the Destin Pass/Marler Bridge area, and observed a vessel returning from the Gulf of Mexico displaying rods and reels. The officers stopped the vessel and conducted a fisheries inspection. The inspection revealed there were four undersized greater amberjack on board. The operator and a passenger were cited and given notice to appear citations for possession of undersized/over the bag limit of greater amberjack.

Officers Jarvis and Maltais were on vessel patrol in the Destin Pass when they observed two individuals climbing out of the water on the East Jetty. Both men were wearing snorkel gear and one of the men was in possession of a spear gun and three speared mangrove snapper. Officer Jarvis issued one of the subjects a citation for spear fishing within 100 feet of a jetty. Both men were issued warnings for no diver’s down flag.

SANTA ROSA COUNTY

Officer Jones was conducting fisheries inspections at the Navarre Fishing Pier and issued citations to two different fishermen for being in possession of multiple undersized Spanish mackerel.

WALTON COUNTY

Officers Corbin, Pifer and Bartlett were on vessel patrol at Hogtown Bayou conducting boating safety and resource inspections. The officers observed an “at-risk” vessel anchored. The vessel displayed silt on the hull of the boat which indicates the vessel had sunk at some point. The officers determined the owner of the vessel. The owner purchased the boat in June 2016, and failed to transfer the title of the vessel into his name within 30 days, per Florida Statutes. The owner was cited and issued a notice to appear citation and a written warning for his vessel being at risk of becoming derelict.

RESCUES

SANTA ROSA COUNTY

Officers Petty, Roberson, Ramos and Cushing responded to Coldwater Creek to the report of an overdue tuber that missed the take out. Santa Rosa Fire Rescue found the missing tuber and returned her to safety.

OKALOOSA COUNTY

Officers Cushing and Jones responded to Okaloosa County to assist Officers Bartlett, Arnette and Pifer search for an overdue boater in Santa Rosa Sound alongside U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Destin. The person left from Liza Jackson Boat Ramp in the late afternoon on a personal watercraft headed to a family member’s home on the water near Mary Esther. The family reported him missing sometime after dark. After several hours of searching, the missing person was located on shore and unharmed.

Officers Molnar, Bartlett, Nichols, Jarvis, Rockwell and Trueblood responded to a missing 14‑year‑old child with special needs. The child was last seen swimming near the East Jetty/East Pass. Officers Molnar, Rockwell and Trueblood responded by patrol vessels and Officers Bartlett, Nichols and Jarvis responded by land. Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office (OCSO) Marine Unit and the USCG responded in the search. Officer Molnar’s vessel is equipped with a side-scan sonar. The officers were able to locate the child and the OCSO Dive Team recovered the teen.

DIRECTED CONSERVATION PATROLS

ESCAMBIA COUNTY

Despite unfavorable conditions offshore, Officers Allgood, Cushing and Trueblood were able to patrol federal waters over the weekend. Crew members issued five federal citations to persons on board two different vessels. Violations included possession of greater amberjack and red snapper during the closed season.

COMMUNITY ORIENTED POLICING

OKALOOSA COUNTY

Officers J. Rockwell and Brooks participated in two different outreach events at Crestview and Baker High Schools. An FWC patrol vessel and ATV were displayed and the officers spoke about the core mission of the FWC Division of Law Enforcement and answered questions about their responsibilities as FWC officers. A reporter with the Crestview Bulletin covered the outreach event. A total of approximately 330 students were in attendance at both schools.

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