FWC Law Enforcement Field Operations

April 17-23

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.

NORTHWEST REGION

BAY COUNTY

Officer David Erdman was conducting water patrol in the vicinity of Grand Lagoon when he encountered a small vessel violating the idle speed zone.  Upon inspection, Officer Erdman determined that the operator was impaired and conducted a boating under the influence investigation.

During questioning the operator provided false identification. In addition to the BUI and idle speed/no wake zone violation, he was cited for giving false information to a law enforcement officer.

Officer Jeff Gager worked an unusual boating accident over the past weekend.  Beachgoers called 911 after finding a man attempting to make his way to shore in heavy surf.  EMS was summoned and the man was admitted to a local hospital for water inhalation.  The individual was cobia fishing alone on a borrowed vessel sight fishing from the vessel's tower.  As he attempted to climb down from the tower, a wave pitched the boat tossing him into the water.  The boat continued on its way west under power for another 130 miles before running out of fuel and then drifting ashore at Fort Morgan, Alabama.  The operator is recovering and the vessel is being salvaged by Sea Tow.

Officer Joe Chambers was working Deer Point Lake when he encountered a subject rolling a marijuana cigarette inside his truck while parked at the High Point Boat Ramp.  A citation for possession of cannabis and possession of drug paraphernalia was issued.  Later, Officer Chambers checked a fisher who had a cloud of cannabis smoke around him as he fished.  When confronted about the smoke cloud, the fisher produced three marijuana cigarettes and was found to have no fishing license. Citations were issued and the contraband seized. 

Lt. Jay Chesser was patrolling the Econfina Creek Wildlife Management Area when he discovered remnants of a methamphetamine lab.  The Bay County Sheriff's Office was contacted for clean-up of the hazardous material. 

ESCAMBIA COUNTY

Officer Keith Clark checked a vessel as it returned to Navy Point Boat Ramp.  Officer Clark found an oversize red drum along with dive gear on the vessel.  The oversized red drum showed signs of having been illegally harvested with a spear gun.  The vessel operator first denied spearing the drum, but later admitted to the violation.  He was issued notice to appear citations for the violations.

Lt. Brian Lambert and Officers Fred Rondeau and Keith Clark were on water patrol of Pensacola Bay.  They observed a commercial shrimp vessel and attempted to stop it for a safety and quality control check.  Upon seeing the FWC patrol vessel, one of the occupants dumped a basket of blue crabs overboard.  Lieutenant Lambert and Officer Clark boarded the vessel.  The individual admitted the basket contained blue crabs, some were egg bearing.  One large cooler of shrimp was not iced properly.

Officer Clark issued a notice to appear citation for interference with an FWC officer to the individual who dumped the crabs and a notice to appear citation to the vessel operator for the shrimp not being properly iced.

Officer Keith Clark was on patrol in the Gulf of Mexico when he inspected a vessel for safety equipment and a fisheries check.  The occupants of the boat were asked twice what they had caught and they claimed that they had only caught mangrove snapper and trigger fish.  An in-depth inspection revealed red snapper fillets on the vessel.  One of the occupants admitted catching the fish and cleaning it.  No other fish on the vessel were cleaned.  The occupant who caught the fish explained he knew red snapper season did not open until June, but wanted to keep the fish because it was one of the biggest he had ever caught.  Officer Clark issued notice to appear citations to the occupant who claimed the fish.

SANTA ROSA COUNTY

Officer Fred Rondeau checked individuals fishing from the bank under the I-10 bridge on Escambia Bay.  As he approached, one individual kicked a cigarette pack off the sea wall.  Officer Rondeau recovered the cigarette pack and found less than 20 grams of cannabis inside.  The subject admitted that the cannabis was his.  Officer Rondeau issued a notice to appear citation for the violation.  The cannabis was seized and it is being stored as evidence.

Officer David Jernigan teamed up with three officers from the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to check campsites in the Blackwater Wildlife Management Area.  Just after dark, the officers located a large group of campers near Coldwater Creek.  While in the parking lot near the campground, the officers observed two subjects sitting in a car. When one of the subjects exited the car, they observed a set of scales.

A subsequent search revealed approximately 173 grams of cannabis, approximately one brick.  Both subjects were arrested for possession of felony amounts of cannabis and booked in the Santa Rosa County Jail.

After completing a felony drug arrest, Officer David Jernigan and three DEP officers were walking down the trail near Coldwater Creek to the campsites when they observed one subject walking out.  When the man saw the officers, he hurriedly tried to hide something in his pocket.

Officer Jernigan asked him what he put in his pocket and the man told him that it was marijuana.  A search revealed approximately 5 grams of cannabis and a glass smoking pipe.  The subject was issued a notice to appear for the violation.

OKALOOSA COUNTY

Officer Ryan Nelson responded to a complaint at Twin Hills Park in Crestview reference subjects cast netting panfish.  Upon arrival, Officer Nelson identified two subjects in possession of 220 panfish (bream) caught with a cast net.  Both subjects were issued citations for taking game fish by an illegal method, over the bag limit of panfish, and no freshwater fishing license.

 Officers Pete Rockwell and Alan Kirchinger observed two divers under the Destin Bridge. When the divers observed the officers' presence, they discarded their spear fishing equipment and started walking towards their vehicle.  They were later identified and issued a citation for spear fishing in a prohibited area.