FWC Law Enforcement Weekly Report June 8, 2018 through June 14, 2018

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FWC

 

Division of Law Enforcement Weekly Report

June 8, 2018 through June 14, 2018

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

BAY COUNTY

Officer McMillion was conducting boating safety and resource protection inspections in the Mexico Beach Canal and saw a vessel returning from the Gulf of Mexico displaying fishing gear. During an inspection of the vessel, the officer determined the vessel was returning from a fishing trip. The fisheries inspection revealed three gray triggerfish in possession during closed season. The operator was issued a notice to appear citation.

Reserve Officer Cooper conducted a resource inspection in St. Andrews Bay of a vessel returning from fishing. During the inspection, the officer found three undersized gray triggerfish and several vermillion snapper. Gray triggerfish season is closed. Also, several of the vermillion snapper were undersized. Reserve Officer Cooper issued the captain of the vessel a citation for possession of gray triggerfish during closed season and a warning for the undersized vermillion snapper.

Reserve Officer Cooper conducted a resource inspection in St. Andrews Bay of a vessel returning from fishing. During a fisheries inspection of the vessel the officer located numerous fish in the front fish hold. Also in the hold were several plastic bags. Two of the bags contained leftover bait but the third contained four fish fillets that were determined to be from red snapper. Among the whole fish found in the hold, the officer located an undersized red grouper. The captain of the vessel took responsibility for the red snapper fillets and one of the passengers took responsibility for the undersized red grouper. The captain was issued a citation for possession of red snapper during closed season and the passenger was issued a citation for the undersized red grouper.

Reserve Officer Cooper conducted a resource inspection in St. Andrews Bay of a vessel returning from fishing. During the fisheries inspection of the vessel, the officer located four red snapper in the fish box. The captain of the vessel took responsibility for the violation and was issued a citation for possession of red snapper during closed season.

Reserve Officer Cooper conducted a resource inspection in St. Andrews Bay of a federally permitted fishing vessel returning from fishing. During a fisheries inspection of the vessel, the officer located an undersized gray triggerfish in the bottom of the fish box. The captain of the vessel was issued a citation for possession of gray triggerfish during closed season.

ESCAMBIA COUNTY

While on routine patrol, Officer Long received information regarding a person trespassing and fishing on private property. The suspect was cited for trespassing and fishing on the same property earlier this year. While Officers Long and McHenry were searching the property, the suspect was spotted and immediately fled northwest through adjacent properties. With assistance from FWC aviation assets and local K9 deputies, the suspect was apprehended and cited for resisting without violence, trespass after warning and interference with an FWC officer.

FRANKLIN COUNTY

Officers Kossey and Martin were at Water Street Seafood when they saw subjects entering the seafood market. Officer Kossey approached the truck they were driving and spoke to a female occupant who stated they were selling triple tail. After an inspection, Officer Kossey determined the subjects were not in possession of a valid saltwater products license that is required to sell fish. Both subjects were cited and four triple tail were seized as evidence.

GADSDEN COUNTY

Officer Brower was on night land patrol at the Jim Woodruff Dam in Chattahoochee. He saw a man sitting on the tailgate of a truck in the parking lot. As he approached, he saw three coolers in the back of the truck. Officer Brower asked if there were any fish in the coolers and the man stated he did have some fish. Officer Brower asked the man if he had a fishing license and the man showed him a valid freshwater fishing license. The man opened the coolers which had bream, hybrid bass and black bass fillets. Officer Brower counted 76 bream. Twenty-six bream were seized and the appropriate citation for over the limit bream was issued.

GULF COUNTY

Officers M. Webb and H. Webb were on patrol in federal waters in the Gulf of Mexico approximately 14 miles south of Panama City Beach when they conducted a resource inspection of a recreational fishing vessel. The vessel had been actively fishing. During a resource inspection, the officers found the occupants of the vessel in possession of gray triggerfish during closed season. The captain was issued a citation for possession of gray triggerfish during closure.

OKALOOSA COUNTY

Officers Pifer, Baber, and Homan were on vessel patrol around Crab Island when they stopped a vessel in violation of the idle speed zone. During the stop, the operator showed signs of impairment and admitted to consuming alcohol. Officer Pifer administered standardized field sobriety tasks. Based on observations of the vessel in motion, personal contact with the operator, and the operator’s performance on the field sobriety tasks, Officer Pifer placed the operator under arrest for BUI. The operator agreed to provide a breath sample and the results were 0.155 and 0.161 blood alcohol content.

Officers Pifer, Baber, and Homan were on vessel patrol in the Crab Island area when they stopped a personal watercraft (PWC) in violation of the idle speed zone. During the stop the operator showed signs of impairment. Several empty and unopened cans of beer were on board the vessel and the operator admitted to consuming alcohol. Officer Homan administered standardized field sobriety tasks. Based on observations of the vessel in motion, personal contact with the operator, and the operator’s performance on the sobriety tasks, Officer Homan placed the operator under arrest for BUI. The operator agreed to provide a breath sample and the results were 0.080 and 0.081 blood alcohol content.

Officers Pifer, Baber, and Homan were on vessel patrol in the Crab Island area when they stopped a vessel which was being operated at night without an all-round white light. During the stop, the operator showed signs of impairment and admitted to consuming alcohol. Officer Pifer administered standardized field sobriety tasks. Based on observations of the vessel in motion, personal contact with the operator, and the operator’s performance on the sobriety tasks, Officer Pifer placed the operator under arrest for BUI. The operator agreed to provide a breath sample and the results were 0.147 and 0.148 blood alcohol content.

Officers Pifer, Baber, and Homan were on vessel patrol in the Crab Island area when they stopped a vessel in violation of the idle speed zone. During the stop, the operator showed signs of impairment, admitted to consuming alcohol, and multiple empty beer bottles were in a cooler on board. Officer Pifer administered standard field sobriety tasks. Based on observations of the vessel in motion, personal contact with the operator, and the operator’s performance on the field sobriety tasks, Officer Pifer placed the operator under arrest for BUI.

Investigator Molnar and Officer Corbin were on vessel patrol at Crab Island when they saw a personal watercraft (PWC) towing a kayak and innertube with people on board not wearing lifejackets (PFD). The vessel was not displaying a boating safety decal. A vessel stop was conducted for a boating safety inspection. Upon pulling alongside the PWC, the operator looked straight ahead and avoided making eye contact with the officers. While conducting the safety inspection, the operator continued to show multiple signs of impairment and consented to field sobriety tasks. After the tasks Investigator Molnar arrested the operator for BUI. The operator provided a breath sample of 0.198 and 0.205 blood alcohol content. The operator was booked into the Okaloosa County Jail for BUI.

Officer Corbin and Investigator Molnar conducted a vessel stop on a personal watercraft (PWC) for violation of idle speed zone at Crab Island. While the operator was searching for the registration certificate, he opened a compartment, placed his hand inside and attempted to conceal the contents. Both officers detected an odor of cannabis coming from the PWC. The operator refused to comply with the officers’ commands to fully open the compartment and remove his hand. He was detained aboard the officers’ vessel and a search of the PWC revealed three cannabis cigarettes. While speaking with the operator, the officers saw his eyes were bloodshot and watery and he smelled of an alcoholic beverage. The operator consented to field sobriety tasks and after the tasks, Officer Corbin arrested the operator for BUI. The operator provided a breath sample of .088 and .087 blood alcohol content. The operator was booked into jail on BUI and possession of cannabis less than 20 grams. He was also issued a citation for violation of idle speed zone.

Officers Pifer and Corbin were on vessel patrol conducting boating safety and resource protection in the Destin area. The officers saw a vessel returning from the Gulf of Mexico into the Destin Pass with fishing rods displayed. During the boating safety inspection, the officers determined the vessel was returning from a fishing trip. The fisheries inspection revealed that five gray triggerfish were harvested out of season. During the safety inspection and resource inspection, Officer Corbin saw open and unopened beer cans on the boat. The operator admitted to consuming several of the beers. With consent the operator performed field sobriety tasks. The operator had indicators of impairment and was arrested for BUI.

Officer Wilkenson, along with U.S. Coast Guard personnel, was on vessel patrol conducting public safety/boating safety inspections during the Billy Bowlegs event in Santa Rosa Sound. Officer Wilkenson smelled a distinct odor of burnt cannabis emitting from a 48-foot cabin vessel. Using binoculars, Officer Wilkenson saw an individual smoking what appeared to be a cigarette. The officer maneuvered the patrol vessel to contact the individual. The investigation revealed one individual in possession of cannabis. Further, the vessel was federally documented and the owner has owned it for three years and failed to register the boat. The operator/owner was issued a notice to appear citation.

Officer Corbin was on vessel patrol conducting boating safety inspections and resource protection in Destin Pass. The officer saw a vessel returning from the Gulf of Mexico displaying rods and reels. During the boating safety stop, the officer determined the vessel was returning from a fishing trip. The fisheries inspection revealed that four red snapper, one king mackerel not in whole condition, and several bonita were harvested. The red snapper was harvested out of season. The operator was issued a notice to appear citation for the red snapper violation and a warning for failure to land king mackerel in whole condition.

Officers Jarvis and Maltais were on vessel patrol conducting boating safety inspections and resource protection in Destin Pass. The officers saw an 18-foot vessel returning from the Gulf of Mexico displaying rods and reels. During the safety inspection, Officer Jarvis determined the vessel was returning from a fishing trip. The fisheries inspection revealed that four gray triggerfish were harvested out of season. The operator was issued a notice to appear citation.

SANTA ROSA COUNTY

Officer Jones was on water patrol in Santa Rosa Sound near the Navarre Beach Boat Ramp and noticed a personal watercraft operating on a plane in the idle speed zone. He contacted the vessel operator who showed signs of impairment. Officer Jones asked the operator to perform field sobriety tasks during which he showed signs of impairment. The boater was arrested for BUI and transported to the Santa Rosa County Jail.

COMMUNITY ORIENTED POLICING

JEFFERSON COUNTY

Officer Wilcox and Lieutenant Wass de Czege participated in a children’s event at Beau Turner Youth Conservation Center with over 90 youth from the Children’s Home Society. The participants were divided into three groups and rotated between the fishing, archery, and FWC stations. At the FWC station, the officers talked to the children about everything from hunting and boating safety to human/wildlife conflict.

Lieutenant Wass de Czege taught the laws portion of the Safety Course to 34 kids participating at the Beau Turner Youth Conservation Center. The kids were from two groups who attend summer camp programs at the facility.

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