FWC Law Enforcement Weekly Report 07/10 - 07/16/2015

 

FWC

Division of Law Enforcement

 

Weekly Report

 

July 10^th, 2015 thru July 16^th, 2015

 

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

 

ESCAMBIA COUNTY

 

The Annual Blue Angels Air Show on Pensacola Beach took place this week.  The event was a success and the weather cooperated.  FWC officers performed vessel inspections on over 250 vessels and spoke to more than 600 people.  Sixteen citations were issued for boating safety infractions, three notice to appear citations were issued for underage drinking, and three subjects were arrested for BUI. Additionally, 38 warnings were issued and officers responded to two medical emergencies.

 

LEON COUNTY

 

Lieutenant Parker and a University student participating in the ride along program were on water patrol on Lake Talquin. They observed a boat with two occupants on board waving their paddles in a manner to attract attention. When the officer arrived at the boat, the occupants said their motor had stopped and would not restart and requested a tow back to the boat landing. As Lieutenant Parker was preparing a line to attach to the boat, it became obvious the boat was also filling with water and in danger of sinking. The student observer and Lieutenant Parker got the occupants on board their patrol vessel, as the other vessel sank with only the bow protruding out of the water. Officer Mims arrived to assist and towed the boat to a landing where it was floated onto the boat trailer.

 

OKALOOSA COUNTY

 

Officers Molnar and Pifer conducted quality control inspections and dealer license inspections this week.  The officers inspected several businesses in the Destin area.  One of the facilities was issued two misdemeanor citations for an expired retail license (expired in 2014) and freshwater dealer’s license (expired in 2007).

 

SANTA ROSA COUNTY

 

Lieutenant Suggs, Investigator Armstrong, and Officers Maltais and Molnar responded to a search and rescue in Destin.  It was reported that two swimmers were in distress.  The operator of a pontoon boat came to the aid of one of the distressed swimmers by pulling him onto the pontoon boat.  Witnesses reported that the second swimmer went down and did not surface.  Two FWC boats equipped with side scan sonar arrived on scene and a search recovery pattern was coordinated with the United States Coast Guard and Okaloosa County Sheriff’s marine vessel units.  Within a few hours, the deceased swimmer was located using side scan sonar.

 

FWC officers responded to assist the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office in locating two young women who were missing from the Blackwater State Park.  The officers located the two women just south of the park boundary.  The women were tubing and passed the bridge and swimming areas.  When they realized that they could go no further, they spent the night on a sandbar and attempted to walk back towards the park the next morning.  The women were shaken up from their ordeal, but were unharmed.  Many residents and tourists aren’t aware that the Blackwater River is impassable just south of the Blackwater River State Park and just north of the intersection with Coldwater Creek.

 

WAKULLA COUNTY

 

Officer Harrison ended his shift and was inside his residence when his neighbor began beating on his door.  The neighbor stated there was an intoxicated man in a vehicle in the parking area where he lives.  Officer Harrison responded and found a man unconscious and not breathing.  Further information revealed that the man had been stung by several wasps and was driven to Officer Harrison's house because they knew he was a law enforcement officer and could help.  No one had a phone, so Officer Harrison ran to his truck, notified dispatch, and requested EMS.  He then grabbed his First Responder bag and ran back to the location. Once back on scene, Officer Harrison initiated CPR.  After several minutes of CPR, the man began breathing on his own.  Officer Harrison monitored the situation until EMS arrived and transported the man to Tallahassee Memorial Hospital, where he was treated. Preliminary treatment revealed the man had a heat stroke and went into anaphylactic shock from the wasp stings, which caused him to stop breathing.  The man or his relatives had no idea he was allergic to wasp stings.

 

COMMUNITY ORIENTED POLICING

 

ESCAMBIA COUNTY

 

Officer Webb spoke to approximately 40 middle school aged kids at the Navarre Beach Marine Science Center. Officer Webb discussed boating safety and fishing related topics.

 

 

NORTHEAST REGION

 

MARION COUNTY

 

Officer Rice was patrolling Doe Lake in the Ocala Wildlife Management Area when he observed individuals fishing along the bank.  Upon making contact with the subjects he observed multiple black bass in a bucket.  A resource inspection revealed a total of seven bass in the bucket.  Five of the bass were under the legal size limit.  One subject admitted to catching three undersized bass and the other admitted to catching two undersized bass.  Each subject was issued a notice to appear for possession of undersized black bass.

 

On July 1^st, at approximately 2100 hours, Officer Dias was on patrol in the Ocala Wildlife Management Area near Doe Lake, when he observed three males attempting to take two personal watercrafts (PCWs) out of the water.  The subjects stated the PWC’s were a friend’s and they were test driving them.  The PWC’s did not come back as stolen.  Officer Dias walked back to his truck to address boating safety violations.  As he was sitting in his truck, the vehicle the men were driving in attempted to go around him in thick vegetation. Officer Dias reversed his truck and blocked the exit.  He gave them loud verbal commands to stop the vehicle and not move.  The driver then reversed the vehicle and fled down a small service road closed to vehicles.  Officer Dias secured the PWC’s and waited for backup.  Major Duval, Captain Roszkowiak, Lieutenant Frerking and K-9 Officer Simpson responded to the area.  The officers then followed the vehicle sign down a dim road and through thick brush around the lake.  The subjects had broken through an old fence and broke the lock on a forest service gate escaping out of the area before the officers could catch up.  The subjects however had left their driver’s license with Officer Dias before fleeing. Officer Phillips also responded to the area.  He was able to track down the owners of the PWC’s confirming that they were indeed stolen but the owners did not know yet. The Marion County Sheriff’s Office took over the investigation into the stolen PWCs.  Officer Dias obtained warrants for the three individuals on charges of fleeing and eluding, obstruction of justice, criminal mischief, damage to state lands and breaking or injuring a fence.

 

 

NORTH CENTRAL REGION

 

COLUMBIA COUNTY

 

Officer Johnston was on land patrol when he noticed a group of individuals fishing along the shoreline of Lake Desoto. A fishing license inspection revealed that one subject did not have a valid freshwater fishing license. Officer Johnston did a background check on the subject through the Florida Crime Information Center and National Crime Information Center FCIC/NCIC via FWC Dispatch. The subject was found to have an active warrant for his arrest for failure to pay child support. Officer Johnston arrested the subject and transported him to the Columbia County Jail where he was booked without incident.

 

COMMUNITY ORIENTED POLICING

 

Officer Nichols gave a presentation to approximately 45 students on an outdoor field trip to Stephen Foster State Park in Hamilton County. Officer Nichols brought a small alligator and discussed the importance of conservation and management with Florida Fish and Wildlife. The presentation lasted approximately 1.5 hours.

 

 

SOUTHWEST REGION

 

LEE COUNTY

 

K-9 Officer Collazo was patrolling the CREW Wildlife Environmental Area when he observed a vehicle that was parked in the same vicinity in one of the parking lots where a 911 call came in the day before. It was unusual for hikers to be on the trails during the middle of the day in the extremely hot and humid conditions, so Officer Collazo started to track the individuals. A little while later, he received a phone call from the caretaker at Caracara Preserve that there were two young males running through the pasture heading north. Officer Greg Bryson arrived to assist. A short time later both subjects emerged from the preserve and ran to their vehicle with a brown bag. The bag contained mushrooms and weighed over one pound. The subjects were issued citations for removing plants/vegetation from the wildlife environmental area, which is a misdemeanor. The wild mushrooms were placed back into the CREW WEA away from the parking area.

 

LEE COUNTY COMMUNITY

 

ORIENTED POLICING

 

Officer Stuart Spoede did an hour long radio show with host, Dr. Grabau, on 1580 AM in Charlotte County. The topics of discussion dealt with boating safety, FWC recruiting, Lionfish and the Florida Panther. Officer Spoede took several calls from listeners and answered their questions.

 

PASCO COUNTY

 

Officer Pulaski and Lieutenant Parisoe were on water patrol in the area of the Hudson Beach Boat Ramp. The officers observed a vessel off-loading dive equipment and conducted a resource inspection. The inspection revealed undersized Hogfish and out of season Grey Triggerfish. The officers seized the fish, and the anglers received warnings and a citation for the violations.

 

PINELLAS COUNTY

 

Lieutenant Hinds IV was working land patrol in the area of the north Skyway Fishing Pier.  While on patrol, he stopped and performed a fisheries inspection on several individuals that had been spear fishing around the pier.  Upon completion of his fisheries inspection, he found that two of the fishermen had speared and kept two snook.  Both men were given two criminal violations for possession of snook out of season and snook taken by illegal method.  One of the men was given a warning for possession of oversized snook.

 

Officer Martinez was on land patrol in the area of the Courtney Campbell Causeway, when he performed a fisheries inspection on an individual fishing from the shoreline. After completing his inspection, he found that the individual was in possession of a 12 inch red drum (fish). Officer Martinez cited the individual for possession of undersized red fish and the subject was given a criminal citation.

 

 

SOUTH REGION A

 

BROWARD COUNTY

 

While heading out of the Port Everglades inlet, Officers Defeo and Warne observed a fishing vessel coming into the inlet. Officer Defeo conducted a boating safety inspection on the vessel and found nine undersized dolphin out of a total of fourteen. Officer Defeo issued citations to both individuals for harvesting undersized dolphin. The dolphin were seized and stored into evidence.

 

GLADES COUNTY

 

Officers M. Davis and J. Davis noticed a truck blacked out at the Old Sportsman’s Boat Ramp. When they pulled up to the ramp they saw an individual shaking out a cast net. Officer J. Davis also saw a young kid running to the truck with a bucket. Officer M. Davis asked the individual if he had any luck, as the young boy walked over with the bucket. In the bucket were 21 shell crackers and three undersized black bass. The subject was issued a notice to appear for taking freshwater game fish by illegal method and taking undersided black bass from Lake Okeechobee.

 

ST. LUCIE COUNTY

 

Officers Shermetaro and Payne were on water patrol in the Fort Pierce Inlet when they observed a group of swimmers in the water off the shore of the Fort Pierce Inlet State Park. The swimmers seemed to be struggling and were being carried away from shore by the current. They maneuvered the boat towards the swimmers and Officer Shermetaro threw a life ring and throw bag for the swimmers to hold on to. A Good Samaritan was also in the water assisting two swimmers back to shore. They recovered one subject and transported him to shore. Once all swimmers were out of the water, Officer Shermetaro got on the beach and did a patient assessment on the subjects. One displayed shortness of breath and was unable to sit up on his own. EMS had been contacted and were on the way. Officer Shermetaro monitored the subjects pulse and breathing until EMS arrived. Once EMS arrived, they did a patient assessment and the subject declined further treatment.  All the swimmers were visiting from out of town.

 

 

SOUTH REGION B

 

COLLIER COUNTY

Officer Alexander, while on vessel patrol in the North Keewaydin area near marker 36, was waved over by a disabled rental boat, which was on the edge of a sandbar with engine trouble.  It was occupied by a male, a pregnant female and a toddler.  They had no water onboard and no cell phone service.  Dispatch was advised of the situation and Officer Alexander coordinated with the boat Rental Company and Sea Tow for assistance.  He gave them water while awaiting commercial assistance.  The tide was outgoing and the vessel was immobile, due to the falling tide.  A Collier County Sheriff Office Marine Unit also arrived on scene, assisted and stood by for Sea Tow’s arrival.  The law enforcement vessels stayed with the disabled vessel for over an hour until Sea Tow arrived and freed it.

Officers Despian and Reith were on land patrol at Doctor’s Pass when they observed four individuals quickly walking down the beach leaving from Doctor’s Pass carrying a cooler and numerous rods and reels.  The Officers approached the individuals and asked them how they did fishing.  One individual responded by stating, “We always catch fish” and they all continued to walk past the Officers.  Officer Reith then told them to stop walking, so that they could conduct a resource inspection.  During the inspection, the Officers discovered a goliath grouper, which is prohibited to possess.  One individual claimed that he caught the fish and was subsequently issued a Notice to Appear.

 

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY

Officers Pestka and Ludtke were on water patrol in the area of Bear Cut when they observed a vessel heading back to port.  The officers stopped the vessel and conducted a fisheries inspection as well as a safety inspection.  During the course of the inspection, the officers discovered 170 pieces of Bahamian Queen Conch in a cooler.  The captain of the vessel admitted to purchasing the conch in the Bahamas however he was unable to produce a receipt.  As a result, the captain was cited for possession of queen conch in state waters.

 

Officer Dominguez coordinated a boating safety and fisheries detail targeting boaters in the south end of the county.  As a direct result of the officer’s efforts they issued eight fishing license citations, numerous resource citations and one citation for operating a PWC at night.

 

MONROE COUNTY

 

Lieutenant Haney, Investigator Daniels and Officer Hein were on patrol in the upper Keys when they saw a vessel returning to port. It soon became apparent to the officers that they were dealing with a fishing vessel. The officers conducted a fisheries inspection and found that the boat owner/operator was operating a "for Hire Fishing Charter” without the proper licenses. There were three paying customers on the vessel and they were in possession of 171 snapper, 145 over the legal limit. The captain of the vessel was charged accordingly and fish were donated to the Florida Keys Wild Bird Center. 

 

Officer Hein, Investigator Daniels and Lieutenants Haney and Riesz received a report of a man illegally spearfishing at the Long Key Bridge. Once the officers arrived they saw a man exiting the water and walking towards a vehicle. A fisheries inspection revealed a speared, undersized nurse shark and numerous ornamental fish with evidence that they had been speared. The officers also discovered several snapper fillets in the man’s possession. As the officers continued to investigate the call, they discovered video of the subject harassing a sea turtle. In the video, the subject is shown dragging the turtle on to the rocks. He is also seen poking the turtle with the spear gun. As a result of the evidence the subject was arrested and booked into the Monroe County Jail.  

 

Officer Boyd was on water patrol in the Boca Chita Channel when he saw a commercial vessel returning to port. Officer Boyed stopped the vessel and conducted a fisheries inspection. The inspection revealed 30 mangrove snapper on the vessel however, there was only one license holder on the vessel meaning that the captain was in possession of 20 snappers over the bag limit. The captain was cited accordingly.