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FWC Law Enforcement Report

The Florida FWC Division of Law Enforcement reported the following activity during the period from April 3 to May 14 in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties.

(FWC fell behind in issuing reports during the pandemic. Additional updates will be posted in the coming days.)

ESCAMBIA COUNTY

Officers Manning and Allgood were on patrol and spoke to two subjects as they returned from a spear fishing trip in the Gulf of Mexico. When asked, the two fisherman said they had shot three fish. The fish were identified as gag grouper, which are currently closed to harvest. The two subjects were cited accordingly.

Officer Allgood was on patrol when he observed a subject illegally spearfishing at the Fort Pickens Fishing Pier. While addressing the violation the individual was found to be in possession of filleted sheepshead which is a violation under the landing in whole condition requirement. The appropriate citation was issued.

Officers Allgood and Manning conducted Joint Enforcement Agreement (JEA) offshore patrol. Several vessels were checked for resource inspections and several citations were issued. The violations included harvesting yellow fin tuna without a Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Permit and chartering a fishing vessel without charter license.

SANTA ROSA COUNTY

Officers Cushing, Land, and Matechik were on patrol in Yellow River Wildlife Management Area (WMA). The officers inspected multiple individuals and found violations including operating vehicles on closed roads, operating ATVs in the WMA, littering in the WMA, and driving a vehicle without a tag. Sixteen citations and 15 warnings were issued. Some cases are pending regarding fleeing and eluding law enforcement, driving without a license (habitual offender), and violation of probation. Warrants will be filed with Santa Rosa County for the pending cases.

While on water patrol, Officer Cushing was dispatched to a 911 call from a woman onboard a vessel near Gulf Breeze. The woman stated the operator of the vessel was under the influence of alcohol and she was concerned for her safety. She stayed on the phone communicating with dispatch describing their location. Officer Cushing located the vessel underway east of the Three Mile bridge and initiated a vessel stop. Officer Cushing observed a female huddled on the floor of the boat crying holding a phone. He assisted her onto the patrol vessel. The operator of the vessel showed signs and behaviors of impairment. Due to the prevailing sea conditions and overall circumstances, Officer Cushing “hip towed” the vessel back to the operator’s residence where Officers Land and Wilkenson were waiting to assist. The operator showed indicators of impairment during the seated battery field sobriety tasks and was arrested for boating under the influence.

Officer Land received a complaint regarding a vehicle stuck on the sandbar of Escribano Point Wildlife Management Area (WMA) which is a restricted area. When Officer Land arrived on scene, he located four individuals with a jeep sunk in the sand. The driver of the vehicle admitted to driving through Eglin Air Force Base property on closed roads and driving around gates to get to the point. None of the individuals had Eglin AFB permits. The individuals were issued a notice to appear for their violations on Eglin AFB. The driver of the vehicle was issued citations for destruction of state lands and driving on closed roads in Escribano Point WMA. The vehicle was removed from the sandbar and the individuals were escorted from the area.

While patrolling Escribano Point Wildlife Management Area (WMA), Officer Matechik observed an individual walking a path that leads to Fundy Bayou Beach. The individual noticed the officer’s presence in the parking area and walked down the beach. Officer

Matechik walked to the beach and noticed three fishing poles and a full beer. Officer Matechik left the beach and concealed his presence. The individual came back to the area and took a fishing rod and the beer and began to wade for fish. Officer Matechik announced his presence and conducted a resource inspection. The individual did not have a fishing license and was consuming alcohol in an area where it is prohibited. Officer Matechik and the individual walked to the parking lot to inspect his cooler in the bed of his truck. When the truck tag was checked, it came back to another vehicle and had an impound and seize tag order. The individual also did not have a valid driver’s license and his vehicle was parked in day use area of the Wildlife Management Area (WMA). The vehicle was towed, and the subject was issued the appropriate citations.

Officer Ramos was patrolling local boat ramps in Blackwater River and noticed a vessel without working navigational lights causing a wake in an idle speed zone. Officer Ramos also observed the operator consume an alcoholic beverage. A boating safety inspection revealed numerous safety and registration violations. Standard Field Sobriety Tasks (SFST) were conducted and the operator was arrested and transported to the county jail for BUI. One boating citation for missing safety equipment and five warnings for other violations were issued.

Officer Ramos was on vessel patrol in Blackwater River and saw a boat traveling at a high rate of speed in a posted slow speed zone. A vessel stop was conducted to address the violation and the operator displayed signs of impairment. Standard Field Sobriety Tasks (SFST) were performed and the operator was arrested for boating under the influence and booked into the county jail. Appropriate citations and warnings were issued for other violations.

K-9 Officer Hutchinson saw a vehicle pulled down to a creek in Blackwater State Forest and observed a subject holding a dip net and flashlight, shining the creek. He recognized the man from previous encounters and knew that his fishing and hunting privileges were suspended. While speaking with the man and his girlfriend, Officer Hutchinson observed a wet cast net and a bucket containing live game fish in the back of the truck. The subject admitted he caught the bream with the cast net, and that his fishing license was suspended for a three-year period. Office Hutchinson measured the cast net and discovered that it was an illegal net to possess. The man was charged appropriately for the violations.

Officer Ramos received a call from a person alleging someone had shot a deer in his backyard during the early morning hours. Officers Ramos, Hutchinson and Roberson arrived at the complainant’s home to investigate and observed several subjects on a power line easement in an area closed to public access. One subject was carrying a long gun and the other two were on an ATV in the closed area. The subject with the firearm admitted he shot at a deer before sunrise behind the complainant’s home and that he knew deer hunting season was closed. While surveying the general area where the illegal activity occurred, K-9 Zara alerted at the edge of a large pond. Officer Hutchinson discovered that the subject had a trot line which caught a large fish. The subject’s firearm was seized, and appropriate citations were issued for hunting deer during the closed season and attempting to take deer with a gun and light. Officer Hutchinson also issued the suspect a notice to appear for the illegal trot line.