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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
SANTA ROSA COUNTY
FWC Officer Howard Jones was on patrol near the community of Holley within the Eglin WMA when he observed a fresh set of all terrain vehicle (ATV) tracks that indicated a four wheeler had exited a closed area earlier in the day. In addition, Officer Jones noticed drag marks that indicated a deer may have been dragged behind the ATV. Officer Jones tracked the ATV and drag marks to the back yard of a home in the community of Holley. There he found an individual, dressed in hunting clothes, who had just completed butchering a large buck deer. The deer head was still hanging in a tree and all of the carcass and meat along with butchering tools were present. After an interview, the individual confessed to utilizing the ATV to hunt the night before and that he shot the deer after having shinned its eyes. He was charged with night hunting, hunting in a closed area, and operating an ATV on the Eglin WMA. All instruments of the crime were seized as evidence.
OKALOOSA COUNTY
On December 23, 2012, RPS Officers Sulin Schafer and Alan Kirchinger responded to a complaint regarding an antlerless deer being killed in Eglin. A witness heard a vehicle drive by and shoot along the road. He confronted the man and posted the incident on Facebook. Eglin staff saw the post and contacted FWC. By that time, the suspect had left the area, but the officers obtained a description of the man and his vehicle. On January 19, check station personnel observed the man return to the area to hunt. They contacted Officers Schafer and Kirchinger and advised them that the man was still checked in the area. The officers, along with Lieutenant Dan Hahr and Officer James Rockwell, responded to the area and teamed up to locate the man and interview him. Eglin Range Patrol found the hunter and had him follow them to the check station. The FWC Officers interviewed him and obtained a sworn statement in which he confessed to killing a doe deer and hiding it in the woods. The officers seized the rifle used to kill the deer. Charges of taking antlerless deer out of season and willful wanton waste of wildlife are pending.
WASHINGTON COUNTY
Officer Kathy Jackson received a complaint from a hunt club in Washington County that a subject had shot at several doe deer in their hunting lease property from the roadway. They provided Officer Jackson with the vehicle and suspect information once on scene. Officer Jackson and Officer Lane Kinney went to the residence of the suspect where they made contact with the subject?s father. The father directed them to where the suspect was currently in a tree stand hunting. Contact was made with the suspect, and it was determined that he was also trespassing on the property he was currently hunting. The subject also did not have a current hunting license or hunter safety certification. Upon interviewing the subject, he admitted to shooting into the hunting lease at two doe deer from the county roadway. Road hunting and trespass charges are pending with the State Attorney?s Office.
HOLMES COUNTY
Officers Hampton Yates, Jason Hutchinson, and Hank Forehand were conducting a night hunting detail utilizing a replica deer in northwest Holmes County after receiving several night hunting complaints in the area. A vehicle approached their location and slowed as it passed the replica. The vehicle continued a short distance and turned around. The vehicle stopped as it approached the replica deer and an occupant began shining a spotlight on the deer. Shortly after, two shots were fired from the vehicle at the replica deer. The officers conducted a stop of the vehicle and made contact with the two subjects inside. A rifle and spotlight were seized as evidence. Both subjects were issued citations for attempting to take deer at night and for hunting from the right-of-way.
JACKSON COUNTY
Just after dark, Officers Hank Forehand and Jason Hutchinson stopped to check a group of hunters parked on the right-of-way that had just exited a large hunting lease. When asked if anyone had taken any deer that afternoon, the hunters all stated they had not except that they were waiting on one more member that had killed a doe deer. When the subject arrived and spotted the officers, he hastily exited his vehicle and proceeded to the bed of the truck in an attempt to tag his deer with an antlerless tag before being checked. While inspecting another hunter?s vehicle, he was found in possession of an antlerless deer which had not been tagged either. Both hunters were in possession of antlerless deer tags but had failed to tag their deer. Appropriate citations were issued.
NORTH CENTRAL REGION
LAFAYETTE COUNTY
Officers Rodney Boone and Chad Albritton received a complaint in reference to the unlawful taking of a doe deer during the closed season at the Triple Creek Hunting Club in Lafayette County. The complainant stated that he had observed a suspect dragging a doe deer off the road into the bushes. Officer Albritton responded to the location of the doe deer and obtained a written statement from the witness. He then responded to the residence of the suspect in Live Oak. Officer Boone met with the suspect who denied taking the deer at first, but during the interview the suspect eventually admitted to Officer Boone that he had shot and killed a doe deer and tried to hide it. Officer Boone obtained a written statement and will be filling charges through the State Attorney?s Office on the suspect for illegally taking deer. Officer Albritton donated the deer to a charitable organization.
MADISON COUNTY
Officer Dale Wilcox assisted the Madison County Sheriff?s Department with a trespass complaint on Aucilla Plantation. After locating the suspect, Officer Wilcox discovered that the suspect was in possession of two freshly killed wild turkeys. Officer Wilcox charged the suspect with the unlawful possession of wild turkey during the closed season and for hunting without a valid hunting license. Officer Wilcox seized the two cleaned wild turkeys and a 30-06 rifle that was used to take the wild turkeys.
NORTHEAST REGION
BREVARD COUNTY
Officer Dusty Humphrey was on land patrol with an applicant ride along on Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, when he observed a car parked on the side of the road near a freshwater pond set back into the woods. Officer Humphrey approached the pond and observed four men walking back to the car carrying fishing poles and a bag. Officer Humphrey conducted a resource inspection and found nine black bass, seven of which were undersized. Two of the men in the group claimed the fish. Both were issued citations for possession of undersized black bass.
Officer Jordan Fuscaldo and Investigator Bryan Lee were called to assist in a boating accident on the south side of the Titusville Causeway. Earlier that morning, Investigator Kevin Hansen observed two individuals signaling for help from a small open motorboat caught by the strong winds on the south side of the causeway. He called the incident into FWC Dispatch but a Good Samaritan in a passing sailboat rendered assistance and took the small vessel under tow. While trying to navigate under the bridge to return the two men to the Parrish Park boat ramp, the sailboat struck one of the bridge pilings causing one of the men to fall overboard into the water. The second passenger of the small boat jumped into the water to rescue the man but could not. Titusville Fire Department responded and pulled one of the men out of the water. The second passenger had swam to shore before he could be rescued. Officer Fuscaldo and Investigator Lee retrieved the men?s small vessel and towed it to the Parrish Park Boat Ramp. The two men were uninjured, and no damage was caused to the bridge. A self report boating accident form was given to the owner of the boat, and the incident was closed in dispatch.
While conducting resource inspections on the north jetty of Sebastian Inlet State Park, Officer Dustin Lightsey checked a cooler that had seven undersized bluefish. The biggest bluefish was 11.5?, while the smallest was 8.5?. He issued the subject a resource citation for the offense.
Officer Lightsey observed a slow moving vehicle switch lanes without signaling. The driver then abruptly pulled into a residence. Officer Lightsey conducted a traffic stop which revealed the driver was a habitual traffic offender driving on revoked driver?s license. Officer Lightsey arrested the driver and booked him into the Brevard County Jail.
Officer Dan Rasey observed a subject enter Sebastian Inlet State Park through a service entrance and not pay the required entrance fee. Officer Rasey stopped the subject for evasion of fees and determined that the individual was driving on a suspended license and was wanted out of Okeechobee County. Officer Rasey arrested the subject and booked him into the Brevard County Jail.
INDIAN RIVER COUNTY
While on patrol of the St. Sebastian River Preserve State Park, Officer Andrea Ash received a complaint about subjects who had failed to register to camp, and who had driven their vehicle into a walk-in only camp site. Officer Ash went to the camp site and made contact with the subjects. While speaking with the subjects and gathering their identifications, Officer Ash observed a piece of folded aluminum foil in the tent. She inquired about it and was told it had incense in it to keep the mosquitoes away. Officer Ash asked if she could inspect it, and one of the subjects handed it to her. When she opened it up, she saw a green leafy substance consistent with cannabis. She conducted a field test on the substance which confirmed it was cannabis. Officer Ash issued the subject a notice to appear for possession of cannabis under twenty grams.
VOLUSIA COUNTY
Officer Clay McDonough responded to the backwaters of Mosquito Lagoon to attempt to locate two senior adult males who were lost. They had experienced engine problems with their boat motor and were aground. One of the men was experiencing heart/health problems. Officer McDonough located the two subjects and transported them safely to the Canaveral National Seashore where they were picked up.
SOUTHWEST REGION
LEE COUNTY
Officer Matthew Raczek received information regarding a hawk that had been shot at a residence. Officer Raczek responded to the location and spoke to witnesses, who stated that they had observed a neighbor shooting a hawk on the ground, with a large handgun. They said the subject then picked up the dead hawk and placed it in a black garbage bag and threw the bag in the trash. Officer Raczek obtained sworn statements from the witnesses then called Officer Demian McColgin for assistance. Officers Raczek and McColgin made contact with the subject at his residence and inquired about the hawk. The individual stated he shot at something that was hawk-like and then said it was attacking a chicken. The subject said he put the bird in a bag and threw it down the road. The officers escorted the individual to property at the end of the road, into a wooded area, and retrieved a black bag containing a dead red shouldered hawk and a chicken. The hawk had been shot numerous times and had injuries consistent with a large caliber handgun. The subject was informed of his Miranda Warnings and admitted to shooting the hawk with a .45 caliber handgun. The individual stated that he had given the gun to a friend and no longer had it in his possession. The officers determined that the subject had an extensive criminal history which included numerous felony convictions. The officers obtained permission to search the house for the gun, but no guns were recovered. The subject was issued citations for violating the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, unlawful taking of a Red Shoulder Hawk, and littering. The hawk, chicken, and several .45 caliber cartridge casings were seized as evidence. Additional charges were filed with the Lee County State?s Attorney?s Office for convicted felon in possession of a firearm, convicted felon in possession of ammunition, and reckless discharge of a firearm.
SOUTH REGION A
BROWARD COUNTY
While traveling to computer training, Officers Jon Greene and Jesse Alford responded to a call about a sunken vehicle at Boat Ramp 1 near I-75. The vehicle turned out to be reported stolen, and the owner was notified of the recovery. The officers turned the case over to FHP.
Officers Harp, Read, Warne, and Dias retrieved a report of a dead manatee that was on John Lloyd Beach. Officer Harp and Officer Read responded by boat and Officer Warne and Officer Dias responded by land. The manatee was up on the beach completely out of the water. With the help from a county worker, Officer Harp pulled the manatee off of the beach and towed it to John Lloyd Boat Ramp where it was recovered by the biologist.
Resource Investigators Dave Bingham and Curtis Suggs, and Lieutenant Chris Harris, conducted an inspection of a Pompano Beach base tropical fish wholesale dealer. During the inspection, they found several undersized marine tropical fish. A citation was issued for three violations which included undersized hogfish, triggerfish, and lobster.
GLADES COUNTY
Lieutenant Pam Steelman received a complaint that an individual was lost in Fisheating Creek WMA. The subject was last seen at 0800 the day before. Lieutenants Pam Steelman and Eddie Brown, Officers Mike Allen, Jon Greene, Taylor Tison, Mike Davis, David LaFoy, Jesse Alford, and Jeremy Deweese, K-9 Officer Caitlyn Staskiewicz, and Pilot Daniel Willman responded to assist. Two boats were put in the water to look while the other officers were going in with K-9. The officers in the boats located the subject, and he was brought back to the campground to his awaiting party.
In Glades County, Officers Andy Taylor, Justin Miller, and Mike Lilley were conducting surveillance on a residence. The officers and Lieutenant Steelman had observed suspicious activity the night before that led them to believe that the subjects would be poaching on private property the next morning. Officer Taylor overheard one subject the night before asking another subject about a crossing, which was on private property, and also heard the subject ask if there were ever any "cops" out here. As daylight broke, the officers observed a subject on an ATV pull a hog trailer full of dogs to the fence line of the property, and the dogs were released into the private property. Then, the officers observed several subjects jumping back across the fence. The officers made contact with the subjects, and they tried to tell the officers that the dogs had gotten out of the pen and they were just trying to get them back. The officers then informed the subjects that they had been there for hours and began referencing everything they had seen and said for the hours prior. The officers issued the subjects appropriate citations and had the subjects release a hog that was still tied down inside of the private property.
HENDRY COUNTY
Officer Mike Lilley was on patrol in Hendry County when he passed a subject riding an ATV on the asphalt road. The ATV fit the description of a recently stolen ATV. Officer Lilley turned around to attempt to make contact with the operator when the operator turned off onto a side road. Officer Lilley contacted Deputy David White with Hendry County Sheriff?s Office as he was sitting at the gas station that the subject was traveling towards. Deputy White advised that he observed the ATV coming in his direction but when the operator saw Deputy White he turned around and began to travel back in Officer Lilley?s direction where they were able to get the operator stopped. After inspecting the ATV for any VIN numbers or serial numbers, they were only able to locate where the numbers had been ground off. The operator advised that he bought the ATV from a person in Lehigh Acres so the ATV was towed by Hendry County Sheriff?s Office. Charges are pending for dealing and possession of stolen property.
MARTIN COUNTY
Investigator Kyle Patterson responded to the scene of a boating accident, when it was reported that a commercial fishing vessel capsized near the Saint Lucie inlet resulting in the death of one of its occupants. The vessel and occupants were returning to port after a day of fishing when they neared the Inlet and encountered rough waters. The vessel took on water, capsized, and ejected four subjects in to the water. Three of them were able to hold fast and made numerous attempts to keep the fourth subject close. However, he succumbed to the elements and perished. Another commercial vessel in the area, also attempting to traverse the rough waters, was able to render assistance. The case remains under investigation.
PALM BEACH COUNTY
Resource and Captive Wildlife Investigators initiated an investigation at a grocery store on 45th St. and Military Trail. A concerned citizen reported the retailer offered for public sale live animals and fish in addition to groceries. The citizen was also concerned that possibly non-native live animals were being purchased and released locally. Preliminary investigative efforts suggested the following live animals and fish were at the reported location: frogs, turtles, eels, crabs, oysters, tilapia, stone fish, and lobster. Local and imported freshwater and saltwater products were also available. On a subsequent visit, Investigators Curtis Suggs, Scott VanBuren, David Bingham, David Fowler, and FWC Forensics Biologist Hector Cruz Lopez conducted a license and fisheries inspection at the reported location. The inspection resulted in citations issued for no saltwater retail license and possession for sale hogfish (undersized). Written warnings were issued for exhibition/sale of mammals and amphibians, no ESC permit, and no records for saltwater products purchased. A total of 16 undersized hogfish were seized as evidence. Forensics Biologist Hector Cruz took six samples of suspect shark for testing.
ST. LUCIE COUNTY
Investigator Kyle Patterson responded to Moore?s Creek at the Fort Pierce City Marina in reference to a report of a strong odor of diesel fuel in the area and a sheen look in the water. It was determined that one of the steel tug boats operating in the construction zone developed a crack in a fuel line or fuel tank. The diesel fuel seeped into the bilge area where it mixed with bilge water and was accidentally and automatically discharged into the environment. It was estimated to be around ten gallons of fuel. The area was cleaned by the contractor who had an active oil spill plan on site.
SOUTH REGION B
DADE COUNTY
Officers Alex Dinu and Tony Dominguez, and Lieutenant Maunuel Pomares participated in Operation Avid Angler which is a fisheries compliance checkpoint that concentrated on fishing related vehicle traffic coming from the Flamingo District traveling northbound on Main Park Road at Everglades National Park. Participating agencies consisted of the National Park Service and the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission, as well as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The National Park Service was the lead agency coordinating the operation. The detail was a success and resulted in numerous resource and boating citations.
Officers Kevin Lashells and R. Cabanas responded to Crandon Park Marina Charter Boat dock in reference to a wildlife alert for a cooler full of vermilion snappers at Crandon Marina on the Sonny Boy charter boat. Upon arrival, the officers made contact with William Emmanuel Thomas, a crew member of Sonny Boy. Mr. Thomas was found with four coolers containing fish. Mr. Thomas stated that the fish were for sale. After an inspection of the coolers, Mr. Thomas was found to be in possession of cut pieces of tuna loin, mahi, nine undersized hogfish, nine golden tilefish, and one out of season vermilion snapper. Mr. Thomas was issued three misdemeanor citations for size limits of amberjacks, black sea bass, gray triggerfish, grouper, hogfish, red porgy, and snapper, and possession of vermilion snapper during closed season. Another subject also was issued a misdemeanor citation for harvesting vermilion snapper during closed season.
COPS
Officer Marc Ingellis participated in the 10th Annual Career Day at the Aventura City of Excellence School. Officer Ingellis spoke to over a 100 third and fourth grade students on what it's like to be an FWC Officer. A baby alligator was brought in for show and tell; other topics included endangered wildlife, boating safety, and manatee protection.
MONROE
The Upper Keys Team recently conducted a livery sweep for safety and compliance. The sweep ranged from Islamorada to Key Largo and resulted in 14 inspections, ten warnings, and two citations issued. Investigator Daniels, and Officers Bartlett, Mattson and Vickers participated in the livery sweep.
COPS
Officer s Mike McKay and Bobby Dube participated in National Literacy Week at Plantation Key School. Both officers read books to different first grade classes celebrating Public Servants Day. Both officers drew large crowds of students and teachers during their presentations.
Source: http://floridasportfishing.com/magazine/conservation-corner/florida-fish-and-wildlife-conservation-commission/fwc-field-operations-weekly-report-january-18-24-2013
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