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FWC Law Enforcement Report

The Florida FWC Division of Law Enforcement reported the following activity during the weekly period ending March 4 in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties.

ESCAMBIA COUNTY

The Patrol Vessel Fincat was on patrol multiple days this week. Officers Allgood, Cushing, Land and Lieutenant Berryman, with assistance from Officer Tolbert, discovered multiple violations while on patrol in the Gulf of Mexico. As they approached one vessel for inspection, the subjects on board dumped multiple containers of fish and quickly moved away from their immediate location. The fish included closed-season red snapper and undersized gray triggerfish. Crew members netted many of the fish before making contact with the subjects on board. After completing their inspection, the officers issued five state misdemeanors.

On another patrol, federal citations were issued to subjects on board two different vessels for undersized greater amberjack (26 and 28 inches) and over the bag limit of gray triggerfish.

SANTA ROSA COUNTY

Officers Hutchinson and Jernigan concluded an investigation regarding armed trespass and the illegal taking of an antlerless deer. Officer Hutchinson received information about a subject trespassing on a hunting club. The complainant advised that he heard a gunshot on their club. He later located a vehicle parked at one of the gates in the same area where shot came from. A short time later, a subject wearing camouflage walked out of the woods and claimed to have been looking for azaleas. Later another subject wearing camouflage walked out of the same area but then ran back into the bushes and retrieved a hunting rifle. Both subjects got in their truck and left the area in a hurry. The complainant was able to get a tag number and a picture of the vehicle. Officers Jernigan and Hutchinson went to the residence of the owner of the vehicle. They were unable to make contact with the two subjects they were looking for but they were able to get information about the subjects’ whereabouts. They went to another residence and observed a truck leaving. They observed two men and two women in the truck and observed one of the men holding a rifle. When the officers asked the passenger to step out of the vehicle, they observed a meth pipe lying in the seat where the passenger was sitting. After further inspection of the vehicle, the officers located a large amount of illegal narcotics and drug paraphernalia throughout the vehicle. After questioning the subjects about the trespass, they admitted to trespassing on the hunting club and attempting to take a deer. One of the subjects admitted to leaving his shotgun in the hunting club property so that he wouldn’t be caught with the gun. The subject showed the officers where he concealed the shotgun. Both subjects were hunting with a modern firearm during the late muzzle loading season. The subjects denied shooting at a deer. Three subjects were arrested and booked into the Santa Rosa County Jail for the charges including possession of methamphetamine with intent to sell, possession of controlled substances (alprazolam and methamphetamine), possession of not more than 20 grams of cannabis, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

The following day, the officers received information from the hunting club member that he had located a dead antlerless deer in the area where the two suspects were hunting. The deer had multiple bullet holes in it consistent with being shot with buckshot. Warrants were obtained charging the two male suspects with taking antlerless deer out of season, taking or attempting to take deer with a centerfire rifle during muzzle loading season, and armed trespass.

Officer Hutchinson observed a truck parked along a field edge just before dark. He approached the truck and observed a hunter coming back to the truck from a nearby hunting blind. When he stepped out from concealment and identified himself, the hunter immediately shouldered his rifle and pointed it at Officer Hutchinson, telling him that he would shoot him. Officer Hutchinson took cover behind a tree as he ordered the man to drop his weapon. The suspect jumped in his truck and fled the scene, stating that he was going back to Alabama. Officer Hutchinson was unable to locate the suspect, but obtained a warrant charging him with aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer and resisting arrest with violence. The suspect was arrested by the Florida Regional Fugitive Task Force and is awaiting extradition.

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. Information provided by FWC.