FWC Law Enforcement Report: Hunting, Fishing Violations; Perdido River Patrol

July 9, 2023

The Florida FWC Division of Law Enforcement recently reported the following activity:

ESCAMBIA COUNTY

Officer Specialist Ramos was on patrol and stopped a boat coming in from offshore fishing to conduct a resource inspection. The four occupants were in possession of red snapper during the closed season and undersized gray triggerfish. Appropriate citations were issued.

Officer Pettey was patrolling on Escambia River when he checked an individual who had bush hook equipment. After a short conversation, Officer Pettey found the individual had already set several hooks. The subject did not reveal the correct locations, however Officer Pettey was able to locate them. The bush hooks were not properly marked as required. Officer Pettey cited the individual for the violation.

Officers Allgood and Hahr teamed up with FWC’s avian pilot T. Tolbert to work a detail focusing on Alabama anglers fishing in Florida waters. They located four vessels in possession of red snapper in Florida waters. The captains of each vessel were charged with possession of red snapper during closed season.

Officers Allgood and Hahr participated in a detail with multiple Alabama agencies targeting illegal activity along the Perdido River. Alabama Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries officers, state lands officers, troopers, Florida Marine Patrol, sheriff’s deputies, and FWC officers worked their respective wildlife management areas along Perdido River and made numerous arrests for narcotics and underaged alcohol consumption. Citations were issued for possession of alcoholic beverages, fishing without licenses, and illegal camping. The officers focused on public recreational areas where families gather for enjoyment. The detail resulted in over 70 citations/arrests.

Officer Hahr responded to a complaint about an RV parked at a state boat ramp in Pensacola. Upon his arrival, he observed an unregistered motorhome and vehicle parked in the middle of the parking lot. The two owners were present and had set up residence at the ramp. They were not licensed drivers and had not transferred the vehicle titles into their names. The officer charged both subjects with operating unregistered vehicles and communicated the need to find an appropriate place to take their RV and vehicle.

Officers Allgood and Hahr were on patrol and working boating safety in the Intracoastal Waterway in the Big Lagoon area when they observed a subject on a personal watercraft in violation of the idle speed zone. They stopped the subject and immediately observed several indicators of impairment. The man performed poorly on standard field sobriety tasks and refused to provide a breath sample. He was booked at the Escambia County Jail for boating under the influence and refusal to submit to a breath test.

Officers Bower and Corbin were on patrol in the Pensacola Pass when they observed a vessel returning with fishing equipment displayed. A vessel stop was conducted for a resource inspection. During the inspection, eight undersized greater amberjack and one undersized gray triggerfish were located on the vessel. The subjects were each issued resource citations for the violations.

SANTA ROSA COUNTY

Officer Mullins received a complaint of individuals illegally living in Blackwater State Forest Wildlife Management Area. Officer Mullins and Lieutenant Berryman located the subjects who were situated off a small forest trail. They were illegally camping in a 20’ camper trailer, which had a strong smell of illegal drugs emitting from it. They had two broken down vehicles, litter, pets off leash, and cut trees in the area. The subjects were issued multiple citations and trespassed from the area.

Over Memorial Day weekend, Officers Corbin and Mullins were patrolling Blackwater River State Park for public safety purposes and conducting traffic stops in high pedestrian areas. While in the area, the Officers stopped a vehicle with an expired tag. It was determined the operator was a habitual traffic violator with nine prior driving-while-license-suspended/revoked convictions. The subject was placed under arrest, charged and transported to the county jail.

While on patrol in Blackwater State Forest Wildlife Management Area, Officer Mullins stopped a subject operating an all-terrain vehicle. The officer determined the subject is suspended from hunting and fishing under the Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact for a previous hunting violation. At the time of the stop, the subject was in possession of a fishing rod, gig, and fishing net and had a bucket of bream he illegally caught in the area. The subject was charged an additional three times and issued a citation for the ATV violation.

Officer Corbin was on patrol at Navarre Beach boat ramp when he was flagged down about a hit and run accident in the parking lot. As the officer approached the area, the vehicle returned to the parking lot. Vehicle damage was observed on the rear of the vehicle and the driver side of the other vehicle. While speaking with the operator of the vehicle, the subject had a strong odor of alcohol coming from his breath and showed other signs of impairment. The subject agreed to perform standard field sobriety tasks and showed signs of impairment. The subject was placed under arrest for driving under the influence and later provided breath samples over the legal limit. The subject was booked into the Santa Rosa County Jail for DUI and causing property damage.

Officers Mullins and Corbin were on park patrol in Blackwater State Park when they observed a vehicle being operated with a tag that expired in 2013. A traffic stop was conducted and the driver did not have a valid driver’s license. The driver has had nine previous convictions for driving on a suspended/revoked license and was placed under arrest for felony driving with a suspended/revoked license.

This report represents some events the FWC handled during the time period; however, it does not include all actions taken by the Division of Law Enforcement. Information provided by FWC.

NorthEscambia.com photo.

Comments

2 Responses to “FWC Law Enforcement Report: Hunting, Fishing Violations; Perdido River Patrol”

  1. RG on July 10th, 2023 11:33 am

    Great work, wish we had more officers in the field

  2. BGH Jr on July 9th, 2023 4:32 am

    GREAT JOB FWC! Y’all keep doing what you do best…saving OUR resources and getting these law breakers off the streets/out of the woods and off the roads that make it harder for those of us LAW ABIDING OUTDOORSMEN/OUTDOORS WOMEN, thsnk you all(Alabama Agencies as well)

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News