FWC
Division of Law Enforcement
Weekly Report
March 14, 2014 - March 20, 2014
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, Brady, Letcher and FHP Trooper Russell were working a night detail during spring break at St. Andrews State Park when they observed a golf cart drive up to the after-hours entry gate from outside the park. They could hear the occupants of the golf cart talking to each other about pushing the gate arm up so the golf cart could be driven under the gate arm. The driver then drove the golf cart off the road and around the gate entering the park. The officers approached the subjects, identified themselves, and told the subjects to stop. The driver drove past the officers and into the park. The officers followed the golf cart in their patrol vehicles. The driver attempted to hide the golf cart by driving it into the woods and turning off the lights. The officers located the golf cart and all the occupants fled into the woods except for the driver. All the occupants were apprehended within a short time. The driver was charged with driving under the influence. The subjects that fled the scene were charged with resisting arrest without violence. All were charged with entering into the park without a park pass and transported to the Bay County Jail.
ESCAMBIA COUNTY
Officers Livesay and Pettey worked an area that appeared to have been previously baited for illegal turkey hunting. After waiting in the area most of the morning, the officers decided to change locations to a nearby field. While walking to this area, they noticed a hunter sneaking through the woods. The hunter set up and called for turkeys. Officers Livesay and Pettey approached the hunter and discovered he was hunting on a second baited spot. The subject admitted putting out bait in both spots and was charged with turkey hunting over bait.
LIBERTY AND CALHOUN COUNTIES
FWC officers continue to search for a missing man on the Apalachicola River. The man has been missing since March 9. The location of the search has been expanded south towards the Iola Landing area.
LEON COUNTY
Officer Louque observed a subject calling turkeys from a ground blind. There was cracked corn deposited beside the blind. The subject had also placed a hen turkey decoy in the cracked corn. Officer Louque cited the subject for attempting to take turkeys over bait. Investigator Bryant arrived later to assist and wrote the subject’s friend, who was in a different blind, a warning for no turkey permit.
NORTH CENTRAL REGION
ALACHUA COUNTY
Officer Stanley was working a baited area on the opening morning of turkey season when he set up watch in an area near a blind that had been built within 10 yards of cracked corn. At daylight, Officer Stanley heard someone approaching the blind and waited until approximately8:30 a.m. to make contact with the subject in the blind. The subject was armed with a shotgun loaded with turkey load. The subject admitted to placing the bait out and hunting turkeys. Officer Stanley received a sworn written statement from the subject and the subject was issued a notice to appear for attempting to take turkey within 100 yards of a baited area.
On opening morning of turkey season, Officer Lasher was working a baited site that was previously found in southwest Alachua County. At daylight, Officer Lasher observed an individual walking into the baited area. The subject placed a turkey decoy in the bait pile, then entered a blind 20 yards away and began using a turkey call. Officer Lasher made contact with the hunter and issued appropriate citations for attempting to take turkey within 100 yards of bait.
COLUMBIA COUNTY
On opening day of spring turkey season, Officer McDonald was working a baited site with a homemade hunting blind nearby. Officer McDonald observed a female hunter enter the blind, set up a decoy and begin calling for turkeys. Officer McDonald approached the hunter and identified himself. The hunter was cited for attempting to take turkey within 100 yards of a game feeding station.
DUVAL COUNTY
A Jacksonville jury found a local man guilty of felony BUI last week. The trial was held nearly two years after Officer Shearer arrested the man who was returning to a boat ramp late one night in the summer of 2012. The man had two prior convictions of driving under the influence. Sentencing will be held next month.
Officer Troedson conducted a fisheries inspection on two subjects fishing near the Trout River Bridge. After further investigation, it was determined that one of the subjects had an active warrant for failure to return leased private property. The subject was subsequently arrested and turned over to Duval County Corrections staff.
Officer Troedson conducted a fisheries inspection on two subjects fishing at Dames Point Park. After further investigation by Officer Troedson, it was discovered that one of the subjects had a suspended driver’s license. Officer Troedson later saw this same subject driving and leaving the park. Troedson initiated a traffic stop and the driver was subsequently arrested for felony driving while license suspended/habitual traffic offender.
Lieutenant Arkin was conducting boating safety inspections at the Mandarin Park Boat Ramp. One of the vessels that he checked was in the process of being launched at the ramp, and had an expired trailer tag from 2011. After a check on the owner of the vessel and trailer through the Florida Crime Information Center (FCIC) and the National Crime Information Center (NCIC), it was discovered that the subject had an active warrant issued by the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office for manufacturing of a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance, possession of cannabis over 20 grams, and possession of drug paraphernalia. The subject was arrested and turned over to Duval County Corrections staff.
HAMILTON COUNTY
Officer Nichols was working opening day of spring turkey season at a location that was found to be actively baited with cracked corn. Officer Nichols set up and observed a female and male hunter enter a blind and begin calling for turkeys. Officer Nichols approached the hunters and identified himself. Both hunters were cited for attempting to take turkey within 100 yards of a game feeding station. The female hunter was also issued a written warning for no turkey permit.
MADISON COUNTY
Officers Huff and Mobley worked an area believed to be baited for turkeys. After working different areas earlier that morning, the officers walked into a wooded area where a blind had been placed 20 yards from an active feeder loaded with whole corn. There was also corn placed around the blind, 7 yards away. The officers made contact with two subjects, a father and his 14-year-old son. Both were equipped with shotguns loaded with turkey load. The father was wearing a turkey vest, loaded with calls, and admitted to attempting to take turkeys over bait. The adult subject advised he was not aware of the baiting laws for turkey. He was issued a notice to appear for attempting to take turkey within 100 yards of a baited area.
NASSAU COUNTY
Officer Sweat had suspected that individuals were taking turkey over bait on a piece of property in Nassau County since 2007. His persistent investment of time and effort finally paid off on opening day of turkey season this year. Officers Sweat and Blackburn were finally able to put the case together when they observed an individual attempting to take turkey within 100 yards of a baited site. The officers issued appropriate citations.
SUWANNEE COUNTY
Officer Boone worked an area believed to be baited for turkeys on the Columbia and Suwannee County line. Officer Boone set up in the area at approximately 5:15 a.m., near a blind that had been built within close proximity to cracked corn. Just after daybreak, Officer Boone watched a subject walk into the area, place turkey decoys in the bait, and settle into the blind. The subject yelped on turkey calls for nearly an hour before Officer Boone made contact and identified himself. The subject was armed with a shotgun loaded with turkey load and admitted to placing the bait out. He was issued a notice to appear for attempting to take turkey within 100 yards of a baited area in Columbia County.
TAYLOR COUNTY
On opening day of spring gobbler season, Officer Deweese was monitoring a box blind with an active corn feeder approximately 40 yards away when Officer Deweese observed a subject entering the blind and began calling turkeys. Officer Deweese made contact with the subject and issued a citation for hunting turkey within 100 yards of bait.
NORTHEAST REGION
BREVARD COUNTY
Officer Loeffler worked the opening day of spring turkey season on private property for hunters hunting over bait. He had previously located several baited locations and was waiting for the hunters from a concealed location on opening morning. Two hunters were found to be hunting turkeys over bait in two separate locations on the property. Citations were issued for attempting to take turkey over bait.
INDIAN RIVER COUNTY
Officers Zamonis, Land, Miller, Platt, Lightsey, and Investigators Hayes and Morgan responded to Farm 13/Stick Marsh in reference to a vessel that had been swamped due to high winds and wave action. While the vessel was taking on water, it is believed the operator had a massive heart attack. The two other passengers on board called 911 and performed CPR. The victim was transported to Sebastian Medical Center where he was pronounced dead.
PUTNAM COUNTY
Investigator Bonds and Officer Meade were working an area for turkey hunters and located two different blinds, each with a hunter. In both cases, the hunters were cited for hunting turkey over bait. Later that morning, they checked another hunter who was exiting the property. An inspection of the hunter’s vehicle revealed a freshly cleaned hen turkey. The hunter was charged with taking hen turkey.
ST. JOHNS COUNTY
Lieutenant Allen and Officer Lawshe responded, at night, to assist the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Department on a traffic stop in which a deputy stopped a vehicle with a freshly killed doe deer. The officers conducted an investigation and interviewed several suspects. It was determined the deer was killed at night. The suspects also admitted to killing two other deer at night two months prior. The officers were able to locate the carcasses of those deer to corroborate the violations. A total of six counts of taking deer at night with gun and light, three counts of shooting from a roadway and four counts of willful and wanton waste of wildlife were direct filed.
Officer Lawshe located an area baited with bird seed just prior to turkey season. On the opening morning of turkey season, Officer Lawshe located a hunter hunting within 30 yards of the baited area. He was cited for attempting to take turkey over bait. The following day, the hunter called Officer Lawshe to thank him for the professional manner in which he handled the encounter.
Investigators Dack and Brechler received information via Facebook that a hunter killed two turkeys. The officers located the hunter at his residence, conducted an interview in which the hunter admitted to the violation. Two turkey beards and photographs were seized as evidence. The hunter was charged with taking over the daily bag limit of turkey.
ST. JOHNS COUNTY
Officers Thornhill and Koble were conducting boating safety and resource inspections at the Faver Dykes State Park Boat Ramp. They observed a vessel approach the dock with three individuals and fishing gear on board. The officers then conducted a marine fisheries inspection of the three local men. Prior to the inspection, the owner of the vessel stated they had not caught any fish. A search of the vessel revealed an empty beer carton hidden on the vessel containing six undersized red drum, six undersized sheepshead, and one undersized black drum. Two of the three individuals admitted to catching the fish and were issued citations and warnings. The fish were returned alive to the water.
While on offshore patrol east of St. Augustine, Officers Miller and Hickman approached a vessel fishing over a wreck. As they got closer, one of the occupants threw three red snapper overboard. After retrieving the fish, the officers conducted a boating safety and resource inspection. The operator, a local fisherman, admitted to catching the fish as well as knowing they were illegal. The officers issued the operator a citation for possession of undersized red snapper and written warnings for multiple boating safety violations. The officers seized the fish and donated them to the St. Francis House homeless shelter in St. Augustine.
VOLUSIA COUNTY
While working a baited area of Lake Harney Road, Officer McKee and Investigator Kees observed a subject actively using an electronic turkey call in an attempt to lure a trophy to his decoys. Contact was made with the subject and he was found to be within 100 yards of an active feeder. A citation was issued for attempting to take turkey over bait and a warning for using an electronic call.
COPS (Community Oriented Policing)
In Indian River County, Officers Ash and Rasey spoke to 30 women at Sebastian Inlet State Park’s Women’s Fishing Clinic, hosted by FWC’s Division of Marine Fisheries Management. The officers fielded questions and instructed the group on the importance of boating safety.
SOUTHWEST REGION
CHARLOTTE COUNTY
Officers McColgin and Raczek worked an early morning detail conducting resource inspections on turkey hunters in northeast Charlotte County. The officers were working a recently discovered bait site when they observed a hunter enter a blind approximately 40 feet away from the baited area. The hunter called for turkeys for approximately 20 minutes using various calls. The officers made contact with the hunter as he left the blind and issued a citation for hunting turkeys over bait.
HIGHLANDS COUNTY
Officer Zimmerman received a complaint concerning two subjects taking a hen turkey over bait off of Selah Road near Sebring. Upon arrival, two males were encountered who admitted they had been hunting turkeys. Grain was found in the area where the subjects had been hunting. A hen turkey was also found. Officer Zimmerman found evidence that the hen was actually shot across a fence on adjacent private property. Both subjects admitted to taking part in calling in and shooting the hen. One subject confessed to killing the hen on the adjacent property. Both men were issued notices to appear in court for taking a hen turkey and taking wild turkey within 100 yards of a feeding station. Officer Zimmerman will file the felony trespass by projectile charge with the Highlands County States Attorneys’ Office.
Lieutenant Allen and Officer Ervin were on foot patrol near a feeding station in a ranch in central Highlands County when they heard a subject making turkey calls near the feeding station. Three men dressed in camouflage were encountered within 27 yards of the feeding station. One subject was using the turkey call and another subject had a loaded shotgun. The men stated they were hunting wild turkeys. The two subjects were issued notices to appear in court for attempting to take wild turkey within 100 yards of a feeding station.
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY
While on offshore patrol off of Egmont Key, Officers Beeler, Smith, and Hoover inspected a vessel that was traveling east from the Gulf of Mexico into Tampa Bay. During the inspection, the officers located two zip lock bags containing red grouper and gag grouper fillets. The subject was cited for one count of possession of gag grouper out of season, and two counts of failing to land grouper in whole condition.
MANATEE COUNTY
While on offshore fisheries patrol, Officers Thompson, Smith, and Beeler inspected several commercial fishing vessels. The officers located a long-line fishing vessel that was getting ready to retrieve its gear. Two officers boarded the long-line vessel and observed the gear retrieval, which were miles of long-line. Multiple hooks came up with lesser amberjack on them. One of the mates on the vessel admitted that they used lesser amberjack to bait the hooks. The captain of the vessel was charged for the violation.
POLK COUNTY
Officer Still investigated a boating accident in Tiger Creek. An airboat and a bass boat collided as they were traveling toward each other. Both operators received citations for violating navigation rules resulting in an accident without injuries.
Officer Adams was conducting surveillance of a feeding station near Lake Walk when two subjects put turkey decoys up and started to use a turkey call approximately 60 yards away from the feeding station. Officer Adams made contact with the subjects who admitted they were hunting turkeys. Both subjects received notices to appear in court for attempting to take wild turkey within 100 yards of a feeding station.
SOUTH REGION A
BROWARD COUNTY
Officers Corteguera and Warne were on late-night patrol when they observed a vessel come into a local public dock. The officers conducted a marine fisheries and boating safety inspection. With information gathered from the inspection, Officer Corteguera issued criminal notices to appear to one individual for possession of undersized mutton snapper, possession of marine life not landed in a whole condition, failure to maintain marine life in proper life sustaining live wells and interference with an FWC officer.
The youth alligator hunt took place at Old Glory Camp and Stormwater Treatment Area (STA) 2. All five registered youth hunters harvested an alligator. Lieutenant McDonald and Officers Forrest, Warne and Carman were present during the youth-hunt activities to discuss alligator hunting laws and ensure a safe and enjoyable hunt.
Lieutenant McDonald and Officer Warne responded to a missing airboat in Everglades Management Area 3A North. The missing boater was located by a Broward Sheriff’s Office (BSO) helicopter and GPS coordinates were provided to Lieutenant McDonald and Officer Warne as well as the BSO Fire Rescue airboat that was responding. The missing boater was located in good condition despite spending the night on his airboat after getting stuck and running out of gas.
While on patrol around midnight, Officers Warne and Brock stopped a vessel at the 15th Street Boat Ramp in Ft. Lauderdale that had fishing gear and several coolers on board. One of the subjects on board was in possession of 15 lane snapper. Another subject was in possession of 20 lane snapper. The legal bag limit for lane snapper is 10 per person. Both subjects were issued citations for being over the recreational bag limit of lane snapper.
HENDRY COUNTY
Officer Taylor was on patrol when he approached two subjects and a truck parked at a creek. Officer Taylor saw a wet cast net and one subject who was wet from the net. Officer Taylor asked if they caught anything and they both denied ever fishing. Officer Taylor observed a green bucket at the truck that was semi-hidden, and when asked what was inside, the subjects denied having any fish. As Officer Taylor escorted the men back to the truck, he heard fish flopping in the bucket and one subject turned and said, “Okay maybe one.” The fish inside was a black bass and Officer Taylor issued the subject a citation for taking freshwater game fish by illegal method.
MARTIN COUNTY
Officer Doricchi was on water patrol when he received a call from K-9 Officer Kirkland, who was off duty at the time, in reference to a vessel with subjects taking queen conch from the Martin County Sandbar. Officer Williems and Investigator Wiernicki responded as well. The Martin County Sheriff’s Office assisted in escorting the vessel to Sandsprit Park. After stopping the vessel that K-9 Officer Kirkland described for a fisheries inspection, Officers Williems and Doricchi, and Investigator Wiernicki searched the vessel and found the operator to be in possession of 34 queen conch. The operator advised that the conch were all collected at the sandbar. The operator was issued citations for possession of queen conch and also infractions for not having children under the age of 6 in life jackets while underway.
PALM BEACH COUNTY
Lieutenant Ornold’s squad conducted two directed enforcement details in the Corbett Wildlife Management Area (WMA) over the weekend targeting underage drinking and off-trail vehicle operation. The details resulted in one felony arrest for possession of hashish, three arrests for possession of marijuana, five citations for open containers of alcoholic beverages, eleven citations for day-use fee violations, twenty citations for off-trail vehicle operation, two citations for unlawful entry/exit of the WMA and three citations for ATV violations.
Investigators with FWC have filed charges against four men linked to the illegal feeding of sharks and fish within state waters. The investigation started after the FWC received several complaints that shark feeding was taking place off the coast of Palm Beach County during dive charter trips. The FWC investigators and the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office (PBSO), working jointly, conducted two separate investigations involving two northern Palm Beach County dive charter operators. Deputies from the PBSO dive team took part in a dive trip on board Emerald Charters of Jupiter. During the dive, video was taken of the divemaster feeding sharks by hand while within state waters. He also used a milk crate filled with fish chunks to lure sharks to his location. The deputies took another dive trip on board another vessel. During this trip, deputies took video of another divemaster feeding a goliath grouper and a lemon shark. Both feeding incidents happened in state waters. The FWC investigators and PBSO divers used several GPS devices and other methods to confirm these activities were occurring in state waters.
ST. LUCIE COUNTY
Officer Irwin was able to close out three derelict vessel cases this past week. The vessels, in varying stages of neglect, were removed by a local contractor, in cooperation with St. Lucie County. Two of the vessels were beached along the shore of Indian River Drive, one of which had drifted into a private dock during recent storms and high tides. The third one was 75 per cent sunk and had only recently been discovered, even though it had sunk during the 2005 hurricanes. The vessels were transported to the local landfill for disposal.
COPS (Community Oriented Policing)
The annual Broward County Airboat & Swamp Buggy Show took place at the Bergeron Rodeo Grounds in Davie. Officers Albert, Carman, Warne, Lieutenant Malkoff and Reserve Officers Gabor and Conti participated in the show with an FWC Diamondback airboat for static display. The show was a huge success with thousands of people in attendance.
SOUTH REGION B
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY
Lieutenants Pomares and Marvin, Investigator Miranda and Officer Martin stopped a vessel near Nixon Beach in Biscayne Bay in order to conduct a boating safety inspection as well as a fisheries inspection. During the course of the inspection, the officers noticed dive gear as well as a spear gun and a pole spear on the deck of the boat. The subject was asked if there was any fish on board and he replied, “No.” A subsequent check of a white cooler on the vessel revealed three speared lobster. The subject was charged with using an illegal method to harvest lobster.
FWC Officers in Miami were finishing up their shifts on the water when they received a call of a serious boating accident involving a 78’ yacht and a 36’ contender in Biscayne Bay. The reporting party on board the 78’ yacht stated that they were anchored enjoying the evening when they felt a collision. When they investigated further, they saw the 36’ contender impaled on the port side of their vessel. The two occupants on board the contender suffered serious injuries, but survived the incident.
COLLIER COUNTY
Officers Miller and Reith stopped a vessel to conduct a boating safety and fisheries inspection during an offshore patrol in Federal waters. The subjects on the vessel where found to be in possession of an undersized and filleted red grouper. The subject who admitted to using the grouper for bait was issued a notice to appear for possession of an undersized and not in whole condition red grouper.
MONROE COUNTY
Officer McKay was monitoring traffic in the Dagny Johnson State Park Wildlife Corridor when he saw a vehicle pass another in a no-passing zone going 72 MPH in a posted 45 MPH zone. The driver continued to drive at speeds approaching 100 MPH before he slowed for other traffic and was stopped. Once stopped, the 20-year-old driver was observed to have a previously opened bottle of rum in the front seat next to him. He was arrested for possession of alcohol by an underage person and reckless driving. This arrest coincides with Officer McKay’s operation detail “Dry Spring Break - Take II” which he conducted last year with great success in the state parks.
Lieutenants Smith, Peters and Pilot Willman, along with Officer Golden, responded to a call of three missing divers off shore of Sombrero Reef Lighthouse near Marathon. Pilot Willman arrived at the last known location of the missing divers and began a search pattern. There was a Small Craft advisory forecasted for the area with four- to six-foot seas at the reef line. Officer Golden arrived by vessel and also began searching the location. After a short time, Pilot Willman spotted the missing divers a good distance from their vessel and directed Officer Golden to their location. The divers were recovered, along with their gear, and returned to their vessel scared but unharmed.
Officer Mattson was on water patrol in Tavernier Creek when he observed a vessel with dark registration numbers on a dark-hulled boat. He stopped the vessel to do a boating safety inspection. The operator had trouble remembering where his safety equipment was located. His eyes were very watery, glassy and bloodshot. The operator agreed to board Officer Mattson’s vessel and perform the battery of seated field sobriety exercises. His performance indicated that he was impaired. He was arrested and taken to a local marina where Officer McKay arrived for transport to the jail.
