FWC Division of Law Enforcement Weekly Report January 20, 2017 through January 26, 2017

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FWC

Division of Law Enforcement

 

 Weekly Report

January 20, 2017 through January 26, 2017

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.

Patrol, Protect, Preserve

NORTHWEST REGION

CASES

CALHOUN COUNTY

Officer Baber, while off duty, saw a vehicle backed into a wooded area dumping trash. He noted the vehicle’s tag number and relayed the information to Officer Little, who located the subject at his residence and admitted to dumping the trash. The suspect was charged with dumping an amount exceeding 15 pounds.

Officers Burkhead and Little responded to a landowner who saw a vehicle pull onto his property with a light being displayed and heard a shot from the vehicle. The landowner provided a partial tag number to the officers and told them the same vehicle had pulled onto his property and shot a few nights before. The officers were able to identify a subject and conducted an interview, during which the subject admitted to shooting at an 8‑point buck on both occasions and provided a sworn statement. Two counts of attempting to take deer with gun and light, two counts of road hunting and two counts of trespass will be direct filed through the state attorney’s office. A .17 caliber rifle and spotlight were seized as evidence.

Officers Burkhead and Little were contacted by a complainant who saw a photo on Facebook of a hunter posing with a deer. The complainant told the officers he had game camera photos of the same deer on his property where no one else had permission to hunt. The officers interviewed the subject in the photo who denied shooting the deer, but provided the name of an individual who did kill the deer. After conducting an investigation and numerous interviews, the officers determined that two subjects shot the deer at night and the deer head was presently at a taxidermist’s shop. A records check showed that both individuals are convicted felons. Charges of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, taking deer at night with gun and light, road hunting and trespass will be direct filed through the state attorney’s office. A 12‑gauge shotgun and an 8‑point deer head and cape were seized as evidence.

ESCAMBIA COUNTY

Officers were working a night-hunting detail in the north end of the county when FWC Pilot Tolbert and Lieutenant Golloher, acting as a spotter, saw a subject shining a light in a manner capable of disclosing deer. They directed Captain Rondeau to the subject’s location to investigate. Captain Rondeau attempted to stop the vehicle, but the subject fled. Officers Clark and Long assisted in the pursuit along with the Aviation Unit. After a lengthy pursuit, the subject was finally apprehended by Captain Rondeau and Officers Long and Clark. The subject had an outstanding warrant in Alabama and charges were filed in Florida for felony fleeing and eluding, reckless driving, night hunting, felony driving on a suspended license and possession of a firearm/ammunition by a convicted felon.

FRANKLIN COUNTY

Officer Matechik received a trespassing complaint from a private landowner that a vehicle and boat trailer were behind the residence. Officers Miller, Fletcher, Stephens, and Richardson worked together to track down the vehicle, which was known by the officers. Later in the day, they located the oyster vessel on the Carrabelle River bank with one of the suspects sitting next to a fire. Soon after, the vehicle described in the trespassing complaint pulled up and was stopped by the officers. A subsequent inspection of the vessel revealed eight bags of untagged oysters. While searching, one of the suspects attempted to throw something into the water after he was told not to move. A small bag of methamphetamine from recovered from the water and other paraphernalia was discovered in the vessel. The Franklin County Sheriff’s K-9 was called out to walk around the vehicle and alerted on more paraphernalia inside. An inspection of the oyster bags also revealed undersized oysters. One of the two suspects had warrants out of Bay County on FWC citations. Charges were issued for untagged oysters, undersized oysters, possession of methamphetamine, possession of paraphernalia, interference with an FWC officer, tampering with evidence and open container.

JACKSON COUNTY

Officers Burkhead and Little received information that a hunter had taken an illegal deer. The complainant told the officers on which property the suspect was hunting. The officers located the suspect entering the property and interviewed him about the illegal deer. He led the officers to a deer carcass of a three‑point buck and was charged with taking deer with less than three points on one antler.

SANTA ROSA COUNTY

While on patrol in Blackwater Wildlife Management Area (WMA), Officer Land stopped to check two hunters who were standing near their vehicles. When asked to see their hunting licenses, one of the men replied that he was just driving around. The front seat of the man’s truck had a hunter orange vest and a rifle was in the back seat. Eventually, the man admitted to participating in man drives. He had no valid hunting license or required permits and came back as a convicted felon when his information was run through Dispatch. The firearm was seized and the individual was arrested for the violations.

While on patrol near Gulf Islands National Seashore, Officer Land and Park Ranger Robinson stopped to check a group of duck hunters near Ft. McCree. While Officer Land was inspecting one of their firearms, he found that it was capable of holding more than three shells. It is illegal to use a firearm capable of holding more than three shells while hunting migratory birds and the hunter was issued a notice to appear for the violation.

Officer Hoomes was notified of a trespassing complaint and while working this complaint, he encountered two subjects squirrel hunting on the complainant’s property. These two subjects were not related to the original complaint. The subjects were issued citations for trespassing and for not possessing Florida hunting licenses.

Officer Hoomes was notified of an illegal deer that was killed in the Hutton Unit of the Blackwater WMA. He made contact with the subject who took him to the deer. The antlered deer was smaller than the regulations allow for the area and was issued a citation for the violation. The deer was seized and donated to a local charity.

OKALOOSA COUNTY

Officer Pifer was conducting saltwater fisheries and license inspections on a local bridge when he came in contact with an individual actively engaged in fishing. When he asked to inspect his saltwater fishing license, the individual then picked up a tackle box and began looking inside. While doing so, the individual turned away from the officer and appeared to be concealing something inside. For the officer’s safety, he stepped around the individual to regain visual of the tackle box and the individual quickly closed the lid. Officer Pifer asked if he could look inside and the individual gave consent. Inside the tackle box, a glass smoking device was found which contained partially burnt cannabis. The individual was cited for possession of drug paraphernalia.

Officer Pifer was on routine land patrol in the Eglin WMA when he saw a vehicle approaching his location after legal hours. A traffic stop was initiated to address the violation and as he approached the driver’s side door, he detected the odor of burnt cannabis coming from the vehicle. Both individuals were checked for weapons and a glass, smoking device commonly used to smoke cannabis was located. A search of the vehicle revealed another smoking device under the front passenger’s seat. The driver was also found to be in possession of a small amount of cannabis. Both individuals were cited for the possession of cannabis under 20 grams, possession of drug paraphernalia, and trespassing after hours. Eglin Air Force Base Security Forces also issued the individuals notices of violations which suspended the driver’s recreational privileges on the WMA for one year and the passenger’s recreational privileges for five years, due to multiple previous violations.

WALTON COUNTY

Lieutenant Hollinhead and Officer Tison responded to private property after they were notified about a subject trespassing by the land manager of the property. Officer Tison made contact with the subject who was hunting in a tree stand on the private property. A trespass warning was issued at the request of the land manager.

RESCUES

SANTA ROSA COUNTY

Officers Land and Manning responded to a call of a distressed vessel. A family of four was on board their vessel in Escambia Bay when their motor stopped and their boat began to take on water. A Good Samaritan in the area agreed to tow the vessel back to the boat ramp and Officer Land escorted the family back to shore.

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