FWC DIVISION OF LAW ENFORCEMENT FIELD OPERATIONS WEEKLY REPORT August 19-25, 2011 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.
NORTHWEST REGION ESCAMBIA COUNTY Lieutenant Brian Lambert was on water patrol near Big Lagoon when he observed a vessel violating the idle speed zone. Upon stopping the vessel and conducting a safety equipment inspection, Lieutenant Lambert determined the vessel occupants had been fishing and requested to see their catch. The fisheries inspection revealed two oversized redfish, one measuring 37 inches and the other 37.5 inches. Additionally, several legal Spanish mackerel were located. The redfish was discovered in a separate cooler from the harvested mackerel. Two vessel occupants admitted to catching the redfish and said they thought they could keep one over the size limit. Citations were issued for the violations. Lieutenant Dan Hahr was conducting enhanced patrol within the Perdido River Wildlife Management Area when he observed two subjects smoking what appeared to be a marijuana cigarette. When Lieutenant Hahr approached them, one of the subjects crushed out the cigarette on the gravel and both subjects denied smoking anything. A subsequent search revealed two containers of cannabis and related paraphernalia. Both subjects were cited for possession of not more than 20 grams of cannabis. One subject was also cited for possession of drug paraphernalia. Lieutenant Dan Hahr was conducting enhanced patrol within the Perdido River Wildlife Management Area when he observed a group of young adults and teenagers blatantly drinking beer on a sandbar at Fillingim Landing. When Lieutenant Hahr approached the subjects, he discovered that only one was over the age of 21. Four of the subjects were cited for possession of alcoholic beverages by a minor. The 21-year-old was cited for providing alcohol to a minor. SANTA ROSA COUNTY Officer David Jernigan was on patrol in the area of Simpson River along upper Escambia Bay when he observed several individuals fishing alongside the road. Officer Jernigan recognized the subjects from a group he had checked the day before. The officer observed one of the subjects catch a very small redfish and show the fish to a subject who was cited for possession of undersized redfish the day before. The subject hid the fish in a bucket under some bait. Officer Jernigan approached and asked the fishermen if they had caught any fish and the man stated that he had not. Officer Jernigan retrieved the 10-inch redfish and cited the fisherman for possession of undersized redfish. The legal slot size limit is 18 inches to 27 inches. Officers Faris Livesay and Kenneth Manning were at the Santa Rosa Yacht Club about to depart for daily water patrol when an employee came up to them and pointed out a person who was trespassing. When Officer Livesay approached the individual, the subject ran. Officers Manning and John Bell gave chase. Officer Manning circled around and stopped the subject in an adjoining parking lot. The owner of a vessel,
moored at the yacht club discovered the subject trespassing inside of his vessel just moments earlier. The investigation revealed the subject had broken into a vessel and had been living on it for several days. The subject was wearing the boat owner s clothes, had been eating his food, and drinking his alcoholic beverages. While living on the vessel, the subject had also broke into a compartment and obtained the boat owner s loaded handgun. When the owner discovered the sleeping burglar, the handgun was laying on a cabinet within reach of the burglar. Officers Livesay and Manning contacted Gulf Breeze Police Department and turned over the detained subject and case for processing. SANTA ROSA COUNTY COPS Officer David Jernigan attended the Back-to-School Bash conducted by Wesley Methodist Church in Pace. For the last four years, the church has scheduled the event to provide the opportunity to give out school supplies to needy families within the community. Officer Jernigan set up a display showing FWC s role in this region using photographs of boating safety, illegal harvest of fish and wildlife species, and marijuana eradication cases. Officer Jernigan answered numerous questions about fishing and hunting and spoke to approximately 70 to 80 individuals. OKALOOSA COUNTY Officer Espy Letcher was conducting state fisheries inspections along the Highway 331 Bridge south of Freeport when he observed an individual fishing with a rod and reel. With consent, Officer Letcher inspected the individual s cooler which revealed a grossly undersized redfish among several Atlantic croakers. The redfish measured 10 inches in total length. The individual was cited for possession of an undersized redfish. Officer Andy Maltais responded to a single vessel accident involving a rented personal watercraft (PWC) occurring near Baytowne Wharf. The PWC operator struck another vessel s wake causing the PWC to strike the water hard when it landed. The impact caused the PWC operator s head to strike the steering column. The operator was transported to a local hospital where Reserve Officer Jeff Hahr conducted an interview. The PWC operator sustained a laceration to his lip and a fractured elbow. OKALOOSA COUNTY COPS Officer Andy Maltais provided a local reporter with an up close viewpoint of an FWC officer s daily vessel patrol duties and responsibilities. Officer Maltais patrolled Choctawhatchee Bay area, including the bayous, Destin Harbor, Destin Pass, and Santa Rosa Pass. The reporter observed first-hand the diversity of issues and the scope of responsibility an FWC officer handles on a daily basis.
WALTON COUNTY Officer Randall Brooks was conducting fishery inspections along the Highway 331 Causeway when he checked a subject with an undersized red drum. The subject was cited for the fish violation after a measurement determined the fish was only 10 1/2 inches long. NORTH CENTRAL REGION SEAHAWK OFFSHORE PATROL The Sea Hawk crewed by Officers Jill Izsak, Rob Geib, Tim Shearer, Lieutenant Brad Givens and NOAA Special Agent Rich Chesler inspected three commercial shrimp boats off of Jacksonville. The first vessel had two gear violations, a tear in the Turtle Excluder Device (TED) escape flap and a bar gap measurement on a TED exceeding the allowable maximum gap were discovered on the first vessel. The captain of the vessel was able to fix the violations while underway. The second vessel boarded was issued two federal citations for having two TEDs exceeding the maximum angle. Any turtle caught in the net would be trapped against the TED and have difficulty getting out the escape opening. The third vessel, fishing a double-flap TED, was issued a federal citation for exceeding the maximum overlap of the two flaps. The overlap of the flaps was 32 inches; the maximum allowable overlap is 15 inches. Officer Izsak inspected the third vessel s by-catch and found egg-bearing blue crabs in a cooler on the deck. One of the deckhands admitted to putting them into the cooler. The vessel captain stated he had told the deckhand not to keep the egg bearing crabs. The deckhand also had an outstanding warrant out of Georgia. The subject was arrested for the warrant, and issued a criminal citation and two warnings for possession of egg-bearing blue crab. Later that day, the crew assisted Officer Jeff Brown with an unoccupied, run-away vessel in the Intracoastal Waterway. All five occupants had been thrown from the vessel when the operator reportedly did donuts in the 18 skiff. The occupants all made it to safety while the vessel continued to run full throttle in tight counter-clockwise turns. While keeping other vessels clear of the scene, the officers observed the vessel hit a navigational day beacon, causing severe damage to vessel and knocking the day beacon off-station. The vessel continued circling for a few minutes then straightened out, sped across to the west side of the Intracoastal Waterway, struck land and went airborne. It landed in shallow water near the marsh with the outboard still running at full-throttle. Officer Brown was able board the vessel and shut it down before it made its way back into deep water. All occupants were transported to the boat ramp where statements were obtained. The vessel operator exhibited signs of impairment and Officer Brown initiated a BUI investigation. The subject was unable to satisfactorily perform standardized field sobriety tasks and was taken into custody and booked for BUI.
ALACHUA COUNTY COPS Reserve Captain Bill Sargent, Lieutenant Tim Kiss, and Officers Jeff Summers, Joseph Johnston and Rodney Boone conducted a boating safety and operations course for the Columbia County Sheriff s dive team. There were ten members of the dive team in attendance. Boating safety, vessel operation and boating law were discussed. ALACHUA COUNTY Officer Dustin Bonds was on lunch break at a restaurant when a customer advised him a group of young men in the restaurant were exchanging drugs. The officer observed that one of the subjects seemed distressed and unstable. Officer Bonds stopped the men as they were leaving the restaurant. He smelled a strong odor of cannabis on one subject and observed another subject throw plastic bags under a nearby vehicle. The officer retrieved the bags and discovered they contained cannabis. The individual in possession of the cannabis was transported jail and charged with possession of less than 20 grams of cannabis and violation of probation. Officer Brad Stanley forwarded a complaint to Officer Bonds regarding tires and landscaping debris dumped in a private hunt club. Officer Bonds stopped a vehicle matching the description given and interviewed the driver. During the interview, the driver admitted that he and another subject dumped the debris because the landfill was closed. The men recovered the litter and were cited for littering over fifteen pounds and issued warnings for trespass. Officers Brandon Lasher and Dustin Bonds were working night patrol the first phase of alligator season on Orange Lake. They inspected some hunters at a local boat ramp who stated they had killed a small gator and were going home. The officers found the alligator had a cites tag through the tail, but the tag was not permanently attached. Officer Lasher issued a citation for the violation. Officer Brad Stanley direct filed charges with the State Attorney s Office after a week long investigation on several suspects involved in an unlawful alligator harvest. Officer Stanley observed four males attempting to take an alligator on Newnan s Lake. He monitored them and observed them catch an alligator, put it in the boat and take photographs. Officer Stanley heard one of the individuals state If they could see us, they would charge us for molesting this gator. Officer Stanley stopped the subjects at the boat ramp to perform an inspection, but found no alligators onboard the vessel; however Officer Stanley recovered the photographs the suspects took. They revealed pictures with alligators being held and their mouths taped shut and pictures of a suspect and an alligator in suggestive poses.
CITRUS COUNTY Lieutenant John Jones, Investigator Larry Ayers and Officer Darral Thomason responded to a single vessel boating accident with one fatality in the Homosassa River. The preliminary investigation indicates the 39- foot Contender vessel capsized while making an evasive maneuver to stay in the channel. All ten occupants were ejected. The operator was killed and several occupants received injuries. The investigation is pending. DIXIE COUNTY Officer Greg Louque assisted Dixie County Sheriff s Office and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service with the recovery of a missing fisherman s body in a creek in the Lower Suwannee Refuge. Witnesses saw the man fishing from the bank the day before. The Sheriff s office was the lead investigating agency. DUVAL COUNTY Officer Aaron O'Reilly was on land patrol at a boat ramp when he was approached by an individual advising that there was a man nearby with an injured child. Officer O'Reilly responded and found a man holding his six-year-old son on a vessel moored at the boat ramp. Officer O'Reilly assisted in getting the child off of the vessel and observed the boy had several lacerations down his back and buttocks indicative of a propeller strike. The preliminary investigation revealed the boy and two other children had been sitting on the bow of the vessel with their feet hanging over into the water, while the vessel was underway - also known as "bow riding". The boy slipped off of the vessel and was struck by the propeller. The child was transported by medical helicopter to the hospital. Reportedly, he had no other injuries and there was no damage to his internal organs. Charges are pending the completed investigation. SUWANNEE COUNTY Officer Joseph Johnston Jr. was patrolling the lower Santa Fe River near the Suwannee River confluence. He was flagged down and advised of a vessel explosion and fire up river from his location. Officer Johnston responded and found the vessel engulfed in flames. The occupants were not injured and had abandoned ship after attempting to extinguish the flames. The accident investigation is ongoing. NORTHEAST REGION INDIAN RIVER COUNTY Investigators Bryan Lee and Al Corfield and Officer Philip Glover responded to a fatal boating accident. Two men were operating a jon boat in a canal when they struck a log and capsized their vessel. One man made it to shore, but the second drowned. The
men were not wearing flotation devices and did not have any safety equipment on the vessel. Further investigation revealed the vessel was stolen. The incident is under investigation and charges are pending. LAKE COUNTY While on patrol in Seminole Forest Wildlife Management Area (WMA), Officer Chad Weber was approached by a cyclist who stated she had fallen from her bicycle and possibly broken her ankle. Officer Weber notified dispatch to contact emergency response personnel. Officer Weber transported the woman and her bicycle by patrol vehicle to the entrance of the WMA to await the ambulance. While talking to the woman she advised there were two other people and a dog in her party a short distance behind her and they had no water. Officer Weber returned to the area, found both subjects and the dog and returned them to their vehicle safely. PUTNAM COUNTY Officer Troy Starling received information that two suspects had killed an alligator in a lake one month ago. He tracked down one suspect who admitted to helping a second suspect catch and kill the alligator. This suspect also had a photo with the second suspect posing with the alligator. The gator had an obvious gunshot wound to the head. The suspect posing with the gator was a convicted felon. The first suspect stated the convicted felon shot the gator and had many guns. Officer Starling contacted the Department of Alcohol/Tobacco/Firearms (ATF) who assisted with the investigation. Probable cause was established to obtain a search warrant and arrest warrant for the convicted felon. Officer Starling and Lieutenant Ben Allen assisted ATF with the execution of the search warrant. During the search over 1,000 rounds of ammo was seized, one gun and explosive materials. The officers found six hand written receipts where the suspect recently sold guns. Officer Starling was able to track down all six guns. The suspect was charged federally with possession of explosives, possession of firearm by a convicted felon and possession/purchase of ammunition by a convicted felon. Both suspects were also charged with taking an alligator. Officer Starling and Reserve Officer Cliff Geiser received an anonymous complaint that three suspects had killed an alligator. The complainant stated the carcass was in a dumpster in a mobile home park and identified one of the suspects by name. When the officers arrived at the mobile home park they were confronted by one of the suspects. He was interviewed and admitted to shooting at the alligator, but stated his friend actually killed it. It was determined this suspect was a convicted felon. A third suspect was identified as helping to clean the alligator. The suspects led the officers into the master bedroom of one of the mobile homes where the alligator was cleaned. All three suspects were charged with taking an alligator without a permit. One of the suspects was charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Lieutenant Ben Allen was off duty when he saw two suspects trespassing on private property which has numerous posted signs. Lieutenant Allen rushed home, went on duty and returned before the suspects left. Both suspects were cited for trespass. VOLUSIA COUNTY Officer Jeff Gier received a complaint in one of the wildlife management areas in reference to damaged and destroyed roads. He staked out the area and caught a dump truck hauling dried sludge through the management area and onto private property. The sludge was being spread on the ranch pastures. The truck driver was cited for damage to state lands with a motor vehicle and for exiting the district land through an undesignated entry/exit point. Officers Jeff Gier and James Yetter were checking fishermen near the coast. The officers made contact with a subject on a pier working three crab baskets. The subject had no cooler or bucket, only a dry empty garbage bag. When asked, the subject stated he hadn't caught anything yet and when he did, he would put it in the garbage bag. Officer Yetter asked the subject what vehicle he came in and asked if they could inspect it. The subject agreed and opened his trunk where he had a bucket with four whole stone crabs, one was bearing eggs. The subject was cited for possession of stone crabs out of season, whole stone crabs, and possession of egg- bearing stone crab. Officers Yetter and Chris Creese were on water patrol checking gator hunters. The officers came across a vessel stuck on a cattle fence. The operator appeared confused about why the boat would not move. Officer Yetter advised the subject to tilt the engine to get it off the fence. The subject stood up and stumbled to the back of the vessel to tilt the engine up. Once off the fence, the officers made contact with the vessel and found the operator appeared very intoxicated. The officers completed a safety inspection, then began an investigation for BUI. The subject was arrested for BUI and transported to the Volusia County Jail. Officers Yetter and Gier were checking fishing sites near the coastal area. They encountered two men catching crabs at a fishing pier. An inspection of their catch revealed four live stone crabs, one was egg-bearing. Officer Yetter issued the citations and the crabs were released. SOUTHWEST REGION CHARLOTTE COUNTY While on water patrol, Officer Bryce Phillippi encountered an individual in a kayak who reported that a subject on the shore was catching multiple redfish and placing them under a tree. Officer Phillippi made contact with the angler and observed six redfish nearby lying on the ground under a mangrove tree. After the individual admitted the fish
were his, Officer Phillippi asked if there were any more fish in his possession. The subject answered, No. A search of the individual s vehicle revealed two redfish in a plastic bag under the passenger s seat. One of the eight redfish was undersized. The subject was cited for possession of undersized redfish, over the bag limit of redfish, and interference with an FWC officer. HIGHLANDS COUNTY Officers Matt Ervin and Kristen Gavagni were checking alligator hunters at State Road 70 and the Slough Ditch Canal when they encountered three subjects in a boat with an alligator that had been tagged. The hunter with the permit had a Glades County permit and the other two subjects possessed agent s licenses. Two of the individuals claimed FWC Lieutenant Eddie Brown told them they could hunt in Slough Ditch, which is in Highlands County. Lieutenant Brown was contacted and he advised he had issued the two subjects warnings several days before, for alligator hunting out of their assigned area. Two of the individuals were cited and the alligator was seized and given to a nuisance alligator trapper. HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY RPU Officers Bill Holcomb and Louis Hinds conducted a fisheries inspection on two individuals fishing at Gandy Park. The subjects were in possession of several fish, one of which was a 12-inch red drum. The individual responsible for catching the undersized fish was cited for the violation. LEE COUNTY While patrolling Estero Bay, Officers Art Morrow and Lonnie Sushil observed a manatee who appeared stressed and unable to stay underwater. They contacted an FWC Biologist and assisted with the animal s rescue. Lieutenant Jonathan Ruggiero and Officer James Suttles were on land patrol when they observed two subjects with fishing gear cross a street and enter some bushes. The officers made contact with the individuals and found one of the anglers in possession of several undersized mangrove snapper. During the encounter, the officers determined that one individual had an active warrant for his arrest. The subject was taken into custody and transported to the Lee County Jail for the warrant. He was issued a warning for the undersized snapper. MANATEE COUNTY Officers Louis Hinds, William Holcomb, and Joshua Allison were on the water near Long Boat Pass conducting fisheries inspections when they encountered two subjects wade fishing. A fisheries inspection revealed that the individuals were in possession of a 33- inch red drum. Officer Allison cited one subject for possession of oversized red drum.
RPU Officers Bill Holcomb and Louis Hinds observed two individuals in the water with a large bucket. The officers approached the subjects and found them over the daily bag limit of hard clams. The subjects were charged with over the bag limit of clams and several gallons of live clams were returned to the water. Officers Louis Hinds and William Holcomb were on land patrol in the vicinity of the South Skyway Rest Area when they observed an individual spearfishing. An inspection revealed the subject in possession of a speared snook. He was cited for spearing a snook out of season and other criminal violations, and was also issued several written warnings. PINELLAS COUNTY While on water patrol near the Pinellas Bayway, Officers Tom Enos, Brian Beeler, and Reserve Officer Matt Dolan conducted a fisheries inspection on a vessel that was returning from fishing offshore. The officers located several out-of-season gag grouper and several undersized red grouper. The individuals onboard were cited for the violations. While on water patrol near War Veteran s Park, Officer Bryan Beeler and Reserve Officer Matt Dolan conducted a boating safety and fisheries inspection on a vessel. During the inspection, Officer Beeler observed signs of alcohol impairment coming from the operator. After field sobriety tasks were conducted, the subject was arrested for BUI. POLK COUNTY Officers Adonious Duhart and Kevin Sweat responded to information regarding the use of baited, unattached devices being used to take alligators on Lake Marion. The officers found five devices and arrested one individual. POLK COUNTY COPS Officers Kevin Sweat, Robert Adams and Reserve Officer Fred Daniell participated in a presentation that was part of the Stillwell Christian Life Center s Wild Game Feast. The officers featured an alligator, a fawn deer, and a corn snake and answered questions regarding fish and wildlife. There were approximately 600 people in attendance. K-9 Officer Jared Cloud and Officer Dirk Williamson assisted with a Make a Wish Outdoor Foundation alligator hunt in the Avon Park Bombing Range. The young participant successfully harvested a 10-foot, six-inch alligator.
SARASOTA COUNTY Officer Louis Hinds cited an individual for taking stone crab claws out of season in Sarasota Bay near the Ringling Bridge. SOUTH REGION A BROWARD COUNTY In Holiday Park, Officer Weis conducted an investigation and cited an individual for possessing three American alligators without a permit. The alligators ranged in size from two to three feet and were housed in a small tub. The individual must appear before the circuit court in Broward County. Officer Weis successfully released the three live alligators into an area of the Everglades. Officer Robert Kuester, K-9 Officer Hank Juntunen, Investigator Lindsey Bruening and Lieutenant Dave Bingham were dispatched to a fatal boating accident on the C-14 canal in Coral Springs. One subject being pulled on a tube died when he impacted the canal wall. Investigator Bruening is conducting the investigation. GLADES COUNTY Lieutenants Pam Steelman and Eddie Brown, Investigator Scott VanBuren, and Officers David Burnsed and Jason Lipford responded to a serious boating accident at Fisheating Creek north of Highway 78. An airboat driver was ejected when his vessel struck a wood piling. The victim, who was the sole occupant, was recovered by witnesses and transported by emergency response personnel to Raulerson Hospital in Okeechobee. He did not survive his injuries. HENDRY COUNTY For two days Officers David Burnsed, Michael Lilley, John Santerfeit, Andy Taylor, Henry Rockwell, and Lieutenant Pam Steelman assisted Hendry County Sheriff s Office in the search for a missing hunter on private property. The subject was located deceased in a canal. Investigator Scott Van Buren is working with the Hendry County Sheriff s Office on the investigation. Officer Hankinson and Officer Maynard were on water patrol after sunset when they observed a vessel underway without navigational lighting. The officers performed a vessel stop at Clewiston Boat Ramp to conduct a boating safety and fisheries inspection. They observed an undersized bass in the live well. The subject had been issued warnings in the past for the same violation. Officer Hankinson cited the subject for possessing an undersized bass and returned the live bass to the water. MARTIN COUNTY
Officer David Moss was conducting vessel inspections in the St. Lucie Inlet when he located two undersized spiny lobster on a vessel. The operator was issued a notice to appear and the lobster were seized as evidence. OKEECHOBEE COUNTY Officer Jason Lipford received information from Lieutenant Chris Harris regarding a male subject cast netting black bass. Lieutenant Harris was working in plain clothes on River Road when he observed the male cast net several black bass. After removing the fish from the net, a female cleaned the fish before the male placed them in a white bag in the bed of their truck. After receiving the information Officer Lipford made contact with the male and conducted a fisheries inspection. The inspection revealed four cleaned black bass in the bed of the truck. The male admitted to using a cast net to catch them and was cited for taking freshwater game fish by illegal method. PALM BEACH COUNTY Officer Brian Sierra was dispatched to a complaint of three male subjects spearing snook from the south jetty at Palm Beach Inlet. Officer Sierra and two Palm Beach County Sheriff s Deputies detained the three subjects on the jetty. Based on a witness account, the officers recovered two speared snook on a stringer from the rocks on the jetty. A speargun was recovered from the water near the speared snook. The subjects also possessed a cooler containing a large black trash bag that had large fish scales inside. Based on information provided by a witness, Officer Sierra and a deputy followed footprints and drag marks up the beach to a second hidden black trash bag. This bag contained an additional eight speared snook ranging in size from 22 to 43 inches. One of the three subjects was charged with possession of snook during closed season, spearing snook, spearfishing in a prohibited area, no dive flag displayed, and other charges. Charges are pending on the remaining two subjects. SOUTH REGION B MIAMI-DADE COUNTY Officers Antonio Dominguez and Alex Diaz responded to a call for assistance by U.S. Customs and Border Patrol agents at Dinner Key Marina. The agents were detaining a vessel and its occupants for suspected spiny lobster violations. The FWC officers inspected the vessel and discovered 157 live lobster, 89 of which were undersized. Two subjects were arrested for multiple lobster violations and transported to a local jail. The live spiny lobster were released back to the water. Officers Antonio Dominguez and Alex Diaz conducted a fisheries inspection at Crandon Park Marina. One subject was cited for possession of undersized mutton snapper, undersized hogfish, and undersized spiny lobster.
Officer Erik Sullivan was on patrol in Rocky Glades when he observed a white pony roaming on the L-357 canal levee. Officer Sullivan conducted an inquiry on the radio. Lieutenant Manny Pomares overheard the transmission and advised of a theft report for a stolen pony filed with Miami-Dade Police Department (MDPD). After obtaining further information, Officer Sullivan confirmed that the pony was indeed the one that had been reported stolen. MDPD officers responded to complete a recovery report and the owner responded and recovered the pony. MONROE COUNTY Lieutenant Liz Riesz issued misdemeanor citations to several Miami men for spearfishing in the Upper Keys and spearing spiny lobster.