FWC Law Enforcement Weekly Report July 20, 2018 through July 26, 2018

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FWC

 

Division of Law Enforcement Weekly Report

July 20, 2018 through July 26, 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

FRANKLIN COUNTY

Officer Travis was on patrol near the Ten Foot Hole Boat Ramp in Apalachicola. He saw a vessel returning to the boat basin and conducted a resource inspection. During the inspection he discovered two undersized trigger fish and an undersized king mackerel. The owner was cited for possession of trigger fish during closed season and issued a warning for possession of undersized king mackerel.

Officer Kossey was on patrol near the Ten Foot Hole Boat Ramp in Apalachicola. He saw a vessel returning to the boat basin and conducted a resource inspection. During the inspection he discovered three undersized gag grouper and four out of season red snapper. The owner was cited for possession of undersized gag grouper and possession of red snapper during closed season.

OKALOOSA COUNTY

Officers Pifer and Corbin were on vessel patrol when they saw a personal watercraft (PWC) violating the idle speed/no wake zone around the south side of Crab Island traveling towards the east side. A vessel stop was initiated to address the violation. During the stop, Officer Pifer saw signs of impairment and administered standardized field sobriety tasks. Based on observations of the vessel in motion, personal contact with the operator, and the operator’s performance of the tasks, Officer Pifer placed the operator under arrest for BUI. The operator agreed to provide a breath sample and the results were 0.104 blood alcohol content and 0.103 blood alcohol content. The individual was transported to the Okaloosa County Jail.

Officer Corbin was on vessel patrol with U.S. Coast Guard personnel in the Destin Harbor. The officers saw a pontoon boat cut off another vessel in violation of inland navigational rule. A vessel stop was conducted to address the violation. Officer Corbin saw 11 adults and one youth on board. The boating safety inspection revealed that the vessel had insufficient number of life jackets on board. Officer Corbin determined the vessel was rented. The officer addressed the life jacket violation with the livery personnel. The livery individual who provided the safety equipment was issued a notice to appear citation.

Officer Corbin was on vessel patrol with an Okaloosa County sheriff’s deputy and responded for assistance on a vessel stop conducted by another sheriff’s deputy. When they arrived, Officer Corbin became the lead officer. The deputy who made the initial stop advised Officer Corbin that he saw indicators of impairment from the operator. Officer Corbin contacted the operator and saw the operator’s eyes were bloodshot and watery and his face was flushed. The operator admitted consuming an alcoholic beverage. The operator voluntary performed field sobriety tasks (FST). The operator had indicators of impairment from the FST performed. The operator was arrested for BUI. The operator refused to provide a breath sample and was transported to the Okaloosa County Jail.

Officers Pifer and Brooks were on vessel patrol conducting boating safety and resource protection in the Destin Pass. The officers received a complaint of a hit and run boating accident that occurred in the Destin Pass near Norriego Point. Reports were received that a personal watercraft struck a 13-ft Boston Whaler. The operator of the struck boat was able to get the PWC’s vessel registration, took a photograph of the PWC and operator and provided the name of a witness from the shore. The officers met with the operator of the struck vessel, and with the information provided determined the PWC was rented from a local livery located in the Destin Harbor. The officers arrived at the livery to find the operator had returned the PWC and left the area. The livery contacted the operator and he returned to the livery. The PWC operator continued to deny that he struck the victim’s boat. Based on the officers’ investigation, the PWC operator was issued a notice to appear citation for leaving the scene without providing personal contact information and failure to notify a law enforcement agency immediately of the accident.

Officers Corbin and Pifer were on vessel patrol conducting boating safety inspections in the Crab Island area of Destin. The officers saw a 24-ft vessel in violation of the idle speed/no wake zone traveling south toward the Destin Bridge. The vessel cut off two other vessels in violation of navigational rules, coming within approximately 30 feet of hitting one of the vessels. A vessel stop was conducted to address the multiple violations. During the boating safety inspection, Officer Corbin saw many indicators of impairment from the operator. The operator agreed to perform field sobriety tasks (FST). The FST performed by the operator indicated impairment. Based on observations of the vessel in motion, personal contact with the operator, and the operator’s performance of the tasks, Officer Corbin placed the operator under arrest for BUI. The operator refused to provide a breath sample and was transported to the Okaloosa County Jail.

SEARCH AND RESCUE

JEFFERSON COUNTY

Officer Anderson received a call from dispatch regarding an individual who was broken down on Lake Miccosukee. Officer Anderson contacted the individual who advised that his boat motor had stopped working and that due to the severe thunderstorm, his boat was filling up with water. Officer Anderson advised him to put a life jacket on and paddle as close to shore as possible. Officer Anderson, with the assistance of a Good Samaritan, headed out to find the distressed boater. After locating the boater, it became apparent that he was stuck between two large floating tussocks and they could not get to him. Deputies from the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office arrived in their vessel and were able to get a rope to the individual and pull him out.

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