FWC LAW ENFORCEMENT WEEKLY REPORT 01/08-01/14/2016

 

FWC

Division of Law Enforcement

 

Weekly Report

January 8, 2016 through January 14, 2016

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

 

BAY COUNTY

 

Officers Goodwin, Gore and Hellett observed two duck hunters at Crooked Island Sound shooting ducks from a moving vessel. Both hunters were issued citations. Several other hunters in the same area were issued infraction citations for no hunting license (out-of-state) and no state duck stamp.

 

Officers Gore, Hellett and Goodwin conducted a seafood inspection at a local seafood house. While conducting their inspection, they noticed a bag that contained black bass, speckled perch and whiting for which the owner had no documentation. Three of the black bass were undersized. The seafood house owner was charged with failure to keep adequate records, possession of undersized black bass and improperly tagged freshwater game fish.

 

ESCAMBIA COUNTY

 

Officer Ramos and Lieutenant Hahr responded to a night hunting complaint in an area where several big bucks have been seen.  Shortly after their arrival, a truck approached and shined the field.  The occupants were surprised by another vehicle and immediately turned around and left in the direction they came.  After the second vehicle passed by, the truck returned and the occupants began shining again.  The officers stopped them and observed a loaded high-powered rifle in the front seat of the truck.  The two men participating were charged with attempting to take deer at night with gun and light.

 

JACKSON COUNTY

 

Lieutenant Allen and Officer Forehand responded to a landowner complaint in which the complainant heard two shots on a road along his property. The landowner saw a vehicle leave the area and a suspect on foot on his property. The landowner provided a vehicle tag number and clothing description of the person on foot. Officers Brower and Henderson responded to assist. They located a shell casing and fresh blood on the landowner’s property. Lieutenant Allen and Officer Forehand located the suspect vehicle and conducted an interview of the driver who admitted to shooting at a deer on the landowner’s property. He also told the officers the second suspect was his cousin. The officers then located the cousin who admitted to going onto the property to try to retrieve the deer that had been shot. After reviewing the case with the local State Attorney, the shooter was charged with felony trespass by projectile and road hunting. The second suspect was charged with road hunting and simple trespass. A 30-06 rifle was seized as evidence.

 

Officer Guy located a truck and boat trailer at a bridge on Highway 162 at the Chipola Wildlife Management Area (WMA) well after dark. Lieutenant Allen responded to assist. While Officer Guy was waiting at the truck and trailer, a vehicle stopped, dropped off the owner of the truck and left. Officer Guy interviewed the vehicle owner who stated he had been hunting along the creek in the management area when his boat broke down. He stated he walked out to a residence and was picked up by a friend. During more questioning, the hunter admitted to shooting an 8‑point buck with a 30-06 rifle during the muzzleloading gun season. Lieutenant Allen and Officer Guy accessed the creek by foot and after three hours, located the deer in the suspect’s boat. The deer had been shot by a high caliber rifle. The hunter was charged with taking deer by illegal method.

 

OKALOOSA COUNTY

 

Officer Arnette observed a light being displayed from a vehicle in a manner capable of disclosing deer while targeting night hunting violations. When the vehicle was stopped, he observed fresh blood on the bumper of the vehicle. The driver was the only occupant of the vehicle and was in possession of two loaded firearms. When questioned about the blood, he stated he had killed an antlerless deer in Alabama. A check with an Alabama Conservation Officer revealed the subject did not have a non-resident hunting license. The subject was charged with attempting to take deer at night with a gun and light. He will also be charged in Alabama for hunting without a non-resident hunting license.

 

Officer Maltais received a complaint from a homeowner that a vessel tied to his dock was taking on water.  The homeowner gave the vessel owner permission to temporarily tie/secure the vessel on his dock. The homeowner stated it has been several months and has been unsuccessful in his attempts to contact the vessel owner about removing the boat. Officer Maltais was able to make contact with the vessel owner and determined the individual failed to transfer title within 30 days.  The vessel owner was issued a misdemeanor citation for failure to transfer vessel title within 30 days.

 

Lieutenant Hollinhead and Officer Arnette patrolled Eglin Air Force Base WMA to deter driving on roads closed to vehicle traffic. While conducting surveillance near a closed road, Officer Arnette observed two subjects pull up to a cable gate, exit their vehicle and cut the cable. The subjects were later identified and cited for cutting/damaging the gate.

 

SANTA ROSA COUNTY

 

Officer Hutchinson and Lieutenant Hahr were watching a field where they had received a night hunting complaint when a truck drove by shining a spotlight into the field.  The suspect’s actions led the officers to believe that they might be hunting deer so they stopped the truck down the road.  The juvenile driver and passenger told the officers they were looking for deer and admitted to having a rifle in the back seat. They also had a freshly killed doe deer in the back of the truck.  The two juveniles were questioned and admitted to shooting at deer in three other fields in the area.  The officers located these fields and verified their stories.  Both juveniles were charged with attempting to take deer at night with a gun and light, possession of an antlerless deer out of season and taking wildlife from the right of way.  A rifle, pistol, spotlight and one deer were seized as evidence and both subjects were released to their parents.

 

Officer Hoomes and Lieutenant Berryman were on foot patrol within the Hutton Unit of the Blackwater WMA when they observed a deer in the back of a truck on adjoining private property.  When they went to check the deer, they observed another deer, an antlerless yearling, lying on the ground near the truck.  The owner of the truck admitted to killing both deer.  The antlerless deer was seized and the man was charged with taking antlerless deer out of season.

 

Officer Hutchinson responded to a residence where a deer was observed being cleaned earlier in the day.  A man from the residence showed Officer Hutchinson where he cleaned two small yearlings in the yard.  He admitted to shooting both deer earlier that morning.  He showed Officer Hutchinson where he disposed of the carcasses.  One deer was a spotted fawn button buck and the other was a slightly larger doe.  Officers Lewis and Ramos arrived on scene to assist and helped track down the deer meat from both deer, as it had been divided up between several people.  The man was charged with two counts of taking antlerless deer out of season.

 

Lieutenant Hahr was patrolling in the Blackwater WMA when he observed two men hunting on horseback in the field trial area.  When he turned around to speak to them, they were no longer in sight.  He located one of the men riding his horse down into a bottom and stopped him to check him.  The man initially denied hunting, but later admitted to hunting deer.  Lieutenant Hahr charged him with hunting deer in the field trial area and seized a high powered rifle.  The man was also given a citation for riding a horse off designated trails and for hunting without a license and appropriate permits.

 

WALTON COUNTY

 

Officer Brooks encountered two subjects trespassing while patrolling Nokuse Plantation. The subjects had concealed their vehicle and crossed a fence to enter the property prior to Officer Brooks locating them.  Both subjects were cited for trespassing on property other than structure or conveyance.

 

Officers Tison and Letcher checked a subject hunting after hearing a shot in the area where he was hunting. The subject told the officers he shot at a deer, but missed. When the officers offered to check the area to ensure he missed, he changed his story and admitted to killing an illegal sized small buck. The deer was recovered and the subject was cited for taking antlerless deer out of season.

 

 

NORTH CENTRAL REGION

 

CITRUS COUNTY

 

Officers assisted Citrus County Sheriff’s Office in a search for a missing elderly man that was believed to be suffering from dementia in the Citrus WMA.  A silver alert was issued during search efforts.  After an extensive search of the Citrus WMA trails, the subject was eventually located around 3:00 a.m. Monday morning by other agencies south of the targeted search area.

 

Officers have recently seen an increase in shellfish harvest activity in Citrus, Levy and Dixie counties.  While working the activity, officers have found several violations.  Seven cases were made for various violations including possession of undersized oysters, failure to tag oysters properly and harvest of oysters from a closed area.

 

DIXIE COUNTY

 

Lieutenant Williams was patrolling the Lower Suwannee Refuge in Dixie County when he encountered several dog hunters. During an attempt to check licenses, one of the hunters who Lieutenant Williams knew from previous commercial fishing violations, drove off stating that he had to catch a dog down the road. Lieutenant Williams advised the hunter that he needed to see his license before he left. The hunter ignored Lieutenant Williams and attempted to drive away. Lieutenant Williams followed the hunter for approximately 100 yards before he stopped. During the stop, the hunter continued to rush and failed to put the vehicle in park. Once the vehicle was under control, Lieutenant Williams observed a doe deer on the floor of the passenger side of the vehicle. The subject was issued a citation for taking/possession of doe deer. A shotgun and doe deer were seized for evidence.

 

Officers Butler and Cline worked a detail targeting illegal oystering along the Dixie County Coast. After approximately six hours, the officers apprehended two separate vessels oystering up the creeks in closed waters. Citations were issued and the oysters returned to the water.

 

GILCHRIST COUNTY

 

Officer Allen was on land patrol in Gilchrist County when he received a complaint about an illegal deer that had been killed. The complainant only gave a description of the truck and location, but no tag number. After a searching for a full day, Officer Allen located the suspected vehicle in a driveway several miles from where the violation had taken place. A short interview with the suspect resulted in a confession of killing the illegal deer. Officer Allen issued the suspect a citation for the illegal short antlered deer and the head was seized for evidence.

 

TAYLOR COUNTY

 

Officers Bailey and Korade received a tip from a Taylor County Hunt Club member about someone shooting a short horned buck. The officers found the people involved and could not identify a violation at the time of their first encounter.  The officers later received information that the people had hidden an illegal deer in the woods.  Officer Korade conducted surveillance on the location and later observed the same people come back to retrieve the illegal deer.  The officers interviewed the people again and developed probable cause to issue a notice to appear for the harvest of a deer that did not meet the deer management unit requirements.

 

 

NORTHEAST REGION

 

BREVARD COUNTY

 

While on patrol of the Sebastian Buffer Preserve, Officers Horst and Matthews observed a man personally known to Horst. The officers had received information two days prior that a warrant had been issued for the man’s arrest due to probation violations stemming from night hunting charges the previous year. The officers approached the man, placed him under arrest for the warrant and transported him to the Brevard County Jail.

 

While surveilling an area for night hunting violations, Lieutenant Lightsey observed a vehicle stop by an open field outside Three Forks WMA. The vehicle moved slowly and stopped numerous times before continuing down the road straddling the lane of travel and the grass. After conducting a stop of the vehicle, Lieutenant Lightsey observed the man urinate all over himself while in the middle of the road. After conducting a field sobriety tasks, the man was arrested for driving under the influence and failure to maintain a single lane. The man refused to submit to a breath test.

 

Lieutenant Bonds, Officers Rasey and Lejarzar conducted an early morning patrol for duck hunters of T.M. Goodwin Small Game Area. From a concealed location, Lieutenant Bonds observed several hunters taking waterfowl. A resource inspection was conducted at the conclusion of their hunt. During the inspection, it was found that one of the men was using an unplugged shotgun. The subject knew he was supposed to have a plug, but said he forgot to get one. The subject was also missing his state waterfowl license. The subject was issued a criminal citation and a warning for failure to have the required license. Many other hunters were checked throughout the morning and a wide range of species were harvested. Several violations were documented throughout the morning.

 

MARION COUNTY

 

Officer Rice received information that an individual had killed a deer with short horns. Officers Rice and Dias went to the area of the subject’s house and were able to locate a deer hide, bones and a dried up gut pile in a wooded lot behind the residence. The officers also observed two deer heads in the subject’s backyard in a small metal crate. One of the deer heads appeared to be freshly killed and did not appear to meet the required antler restriction. Officers Rice and Dias interviewed the subject and post Miranda gained a confession that the subject killed the deer and cleaned it behind his house. The antlers measured six inches in length. The deer head, meat and rifle used to kill the deer were seized as evidence. The subject was issued a notice to appear for violation of Deer Management Unit antler restrictions.

 

RPS Officer Dias was on patrol in the Ocala WMA when he observed a truck pull out of a side road with a deer on the dog box. The horns appeared well shorter than the required 10 inch main beam required for that Deer Management Unit.  He followed the truck to a boat ramp where the individuals began cleaning the deer. Officer Dias got out of his truck and began to have a conversation with the hunters. He was able to obtain photographic as well as video evidence of the individuals cleaning the deer. The hunters also discussed coming up with a story that a 14 year old killed the deer. Officer Rice arrived on scene and after an interview the individual admitted to shooting the deer. The subject was issued a notice to appear for violation of Deer Management Unit antler restrictions.

 

OSCEOLA COUNTY

 

Lieutenant Trusley received a call from the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office requesting assistance in reference to a hunter on the Kempher Ranch near the Osceola County/Brevard County line. The hunter had complained of chest pains and collapsed. The other people with the man called 911 and advised that they were deep in the swamp and that he was unresponsive. Officers Conlin, Platt, Balgo, Cybula, and Lieutenant Trusley all responded to assist. Brevard County Rescue dropped medics and deputies into the swamp by helicopter, and the man was declared to be deceased. FWC stayed on scene providing assistance to the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office in getting their personnel in and out of the swamp including the medical examiner and death investigators. They also assisted in recovering the body of the deceased man from the swamp as well as dealing with local media requests.

 

 

SOUTHWEST REGION

 

PINELLAS COUNTY

 

Officer Bibeau was on land patrol at the Gandy Bridge, when he conducted a fisheries inspection on an individual that was actively fishing. At the conclusion of the inspection, Officer Bibeau located nine undersized sheepshead and three whole stone crab. Officer Bibeau wrote the individual one misdemeanor citation for possession of undersized sheepshead and a warning for possession of whole stone crab.

 

While on land patrol, Officer Bibeau received a phone call from a reporting party advising him of two individuals that were selling fish from the back of a truck at a local shopping plaza. Officer Bibeau arrived on scene and made contact with two individuals that matched the description that was given to him. Officer Bibeau asked the subjects if they were selling fish and they both advised that they were selling sheepshead for $1 a pound. Officer Bibeau conducted a license inspection and neither subject possessed a valid retail license. Officer Bibeau wrote both subjects a misdemeanor citation for not having a valid retail license.

 

SARASOTA COUNTY

 

K-9 Officer Stasko stopped to back up a North Port Police Officer on what looked to be a traffic stop. After speaking to the North Port Officer, he found out that it was not a traffic stop, but parents looking for their 15 year old boy who had ran away. Officers on scene were told the juvenile was suicidal and made threats to harm himself with a knife. The last know location of the subject was at a nearby wooded lot. Officer Stasko went to the last known location and deployed K-9 Pearson. Along with another North Port Officer, Stasko and his K-9 attempted to locate a track in the area. Approximately 150 yards into the track, K-9 Pearson located a sandal known to belong to the subject they were looking for. Air support had arrived at that time and advised they observed a hotspot 100 yards in the direction the K-9 was tracking. Shortly after, K-9 Pearson located the subject hiding under some branches. The subject was unharmed and returned to his parents and North Port Police Office.

 

COMMUNITY ORIENTED POLICING

 

Officer Pulaski conducted an outreach event with Wildlife Assistance Biologist Lindsay Gattman. They spoke with several residents of the New Port Richey area about the laws pertaining to feeding wildlife and offered suggestions on ways to increase native wildlife sightings.

 

 

SOUTH REGION A

 

BROWARD COUNTY

 

Officer Delatorre and Lieutenant Laubenberger responded to the Holiday Park Boat Ramp with a patrol vessel in response to a boater needing assistance. It was late at night when they arrived and met up with a Broward Fire Rescue vessel. The FWC Officers and Broward Fire Rescue personnel were able to locate the stranded boaters in a remote part of the Everglades WMA. They assisted the boaters in getting their trailer to the area and helped get the boat onto it and back safely to the boat ramp.

 

Officer Trawinski represented the FWC as an Honor Guard Member during the memorial- remembrance service for Ft. Lauderdale Police Officer Bryant Peney, who was killed in the line of duty 20 years ago.

 

Officers Vacin and Matthews were on patrol in the Intracoastal Waterway in the Dania Beach area. They conducted a marine fisheries inspection on a vessel. Pursuant to the inspection, an individual onboard was found to be in possession of undersized and over the bag limit of vermillion snapper. The officers seized 12 dead vermillion snapper as evidence and the individual was criminally charged with possession of over the bag limit and possession of undersized vermillion snapper.

 

Officer Tarr was patrolling along I-75 “Alligator Alley” when he observed a vehicle with an empty vessel trailer. The vehicle had a bass fishing guide service advertising on it.  Officer Tarr waited for the vessel to come back to the ramp to see if the operator was conducting commercial bass fishing guide services.  Commercial vessel operations are not allowed in Everglades WMA, 3A South (west of the Miami Canal).  This is due to the land being leased from the Miccosukee Tribe and only they can give permission for commercial activities.  The subject was cited for conducting commercial operations in Everglades WMA 3A South.

 

MARTIN COUNTY

 

Officers Aswall and Schroer assisted Amber Howell from the Marine Mammal Section with a manatee release in Martin County. The manatee was captured in the Willoughby Creek area of Stuart and treated at the SeaWorld facility. The manatee was transferred to a vessel at Sand Sprit Park, then transported back to a location close to the original capture point in Willoughby Creek for release. Officers Aswall and Schroer provided assistance at Sand Sprit during the transfer and escorted the vessel to the release point.

 

PALM BEACH COUNTY

 

Officer Newman responded to a shark placed in a condominium pool on the ICW in Lake Worth. The complainant advised that she observed two young white males running from the Mariners Cay pool. Upon approaching the pool, the complainant advised she observed a 5 foot long black tip shark in the pool which appeared to still be alive. The shark was taken out of the pool and released back into the ICW. After further inspection of the pool area, property cameras were found and the property management was left a message. The incident is still being investigated.

 

ST. LUCIE COUNTY

 

At Adam’s Ranch, 5 youth, ages 12- 17 had the opportunity to hunt as part of the FWC Youth Hunt Program. This program allows interested youth to go on guided mentored hunts with experienced volunteers.  Investigator Patterson assisted with teaching the laws and ethics of hunting and K9 Officer Payne performed a K9 demonstration and explained the FWC K9 Unit program. Officers Fretwell, Arnold and Miano also assisted with the hunt program by answering various questions.  During the hunt, all youth observed and had the opportunity to harvest a deer.

 

 

SOUTH REGION B

 

COLLIER COUNTY

 

Officers Johnson and White were on water patrol in Naples Bay when they observed two individuals with fishing poles walking into a parking lot.  The officers docked their vessel and proceeded to locate the individuals.  During a resource inspection of one of the individuals, Officer White discovered a bucket with two undersized red fish.  The individual received a resource citation for the two undersized red fish and over the bag limit.

 

MONROE COUNTY

 

Officer Plussa was conducting night time water patrol near the Seven Mile Bridge when he observed a cabin cruiser boat failing to display navigation lights. The vessel also had an occupant standing on the bow while the vessel was at moderate speed in 2-3 foot seas, heavy vessel traffic and diminished visibility. The vessel did not stop immediately when Officer Plussa activated his emergency lights and siren. The operator left the controls of the vessel to shout at Officer Plussa, in heavy traffic and seas, with a passenger standing on the bow. The vessel eventually stopped and Officer Plussa conducted an inspection. The operator and occupants were verbally hostile towards the officer and were unable to complete the inspection. Officer Plussa boarded the vessel and found it to be missing a throwable flotation device, fire extinguishers, flares and registration. Officer Plussa observed multiple open alcoholic beverages in the cockpit. After completing field sobriety exercises, the operator was arrested for Boating Under the Influence and booked into the Marathon Jail. He received a total of eight charges for BUI, refusal to submit to blood alcohol test, careless operation, no navigation lights and multiple other boating safety violations.

 

Officer Plussa was conducting overnight traffic enforcement in the endangered Key Deer Speed Zone on Big Pine Key. He observed a vehicle with no taillights displayed whatsoever. Recognizing this as a possible sign of impairment, Officer Plussa began following the vehicle. In a half-mile period, the vehicle drifted completely over the lane lines a total of six times. Officer Plussa also clocked its speed at 57 in the 35 mile an hour zone. Officer Plussa initiated a traffic stop and approached the vehicle. The driver admitted that she was texting and was not impaired, and that the vehicle was a rental and she was not aware that it had a separate switch for headlights and taillights. Because of this, Officer Plussa issued her a warning for the taillights and for texting because of her honesty. She received citations for failure to maintain lane and excessive speed in the Key Deer Zone.  

 

Lieutenant Haney responded to a residential canal in Tavernier to assist the FWC Manatee Group with a manatee that was in distress.  The manatee was behind a residence and had almost beached itself on the shoreline.  It had several large tumor like growths on its back along with a boat engine scar and had labored breathing.  The Manatee Group requested that we send officers to assist in removing the manatee from the water.  Officers McKay, Pestka, Pino, Plussa and Wilkins responded but after their arrival learned that the Manatee Group was still several hours out.  They assisted a member of the Dolphin Research Center, who had also been sent, with loading the manatee on to a temporary stretcher which was kept in the water. McKay remained on scene until several other volunteers and Amber Howell from the Manatee Group arrived.  The manatee was lifted out of the water and trucked to the Miami Seaquarium for further treatment. 

 

Officer Plussa was conducting overnight state water patrol of the Seven Mile Bridge area.  He observed a blacked out vessel heavily loaded with many occupants. He stopped the vessel and found it to be a chartered tour from China.  The operator was a local licensed captain. A boating safety inspection revealed that the operator failed to carry adequate serviceable flotation devices for his occupants as required by law.  Officer Plussa explained the importance of a captain possessing the appropriate safety equipment for his hired passengers and the higher expectation of compliance being that he is a captain for hire.  He received charges for failing to carry serviceable flotation devices and failing to display navigation lights.

 

Officer Mattson observed two paddle boarders while on water patrol that were in distress.  One paddle boarder had the other attached to his board and was trying to paddle against strong waves and current.  They had lost a paddle and one paddle boarder was trying to paddle both boards.  Officer Mattson approached and put both of the men and boards on his patrol vessel and brought them safely to shore without incident.

 

Officer Plussa was conducting state water patrol of the Marathon area near Sombrero Beach shortly after sunset.  When he approached the vessels near the beach, one quickly sped away without navigation lights.  Officer Plussa pursued the vessel and initiated a vessel stop.  He observed the operator look back at him and shout a profane expletive as he stopped the vessel.  A subsequent boating safety inspection revealed the operator to be in violation.  He received documentation for failing to possess flares and not having functioning navigation lights.

 

Officer Plussa was conducting foot patrol of the Long Key Bridge checking for fisheries and license violations.  As he walked along the bridge, he observed a man up ahead of him quickly picking up his gear as the officer approached.  An inspection revealed him to be in possession of ten undersized mutton snapper, undersized schoolmaster snapper, over the daily bag limit of snapper, multiple oversized and illegally harvested marine life species. He was cited accordingly.