FWC Field Operations Weekly Report

June 4-11

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

GADSDEN COUNTY

Officer Ben Johnson arrested a subject on an outstanding warrant at the Chattahoochee boat ramp on Apalachicola River.

While checking bank fishermen at Ochawaha Creek and Highway 67, Officer Ben Johnson cited two subjects for possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia.

ESCAMBIA COUNTY

Officer Keith Clark checked a vessel as it returned to Sherman's Cove.

The vessel owner was found in possession of undersize king mackerel and undersize red snapper.  Officer Clark issued a notice to appear citation and a warning for the violations.

Officers Fred Rondeau and Randy Webb assisted with escorting the 300-foot Spanish tall sailing ship Juan Sebastian Elcano out of port. The ship was visiting the area to take part in the 450th anniversary celebration of the founding of the City of Pensacola.

OKALOOSA COUNTY

Officer Matt Webb conducted a fishery inspection on a vessel in Destin Pass.  The inspection revealed undersize greater amberjack.  The vessel captain was cited.

Officers Pete Rockwell, Alan Kirchinger and Captain Mary Sumner joined members of the U.S. Coast Guard Station Destin in response to a report of a vessel striking the Destin Bridge with occupants in the water.

Upon arrival moments later, the officers located an 18-foot Boston Whaler on shore with one occupant on board.  The vessel sustained significant damage to the port bow and the port stern area from striking the bridge.  The lone impaired occupant eventually admitted to officers there were two other occupants, a driver and a female passenger.  His friend, the driver, left with the female after the vessel came to rest on shore.  An inspection of the vessel revealed blood from an injury and numerous empty alcoholic beverages.  An intensive search of area boat ramps and hospitals eventually located the driver when he returned to the hospital to pick up his female companion, who had been treated for a laceration requiring stitches.  Officer Kirchinger arrested the vessel operator for leaving the scene of a vessel accident involving property damage and injuries beyond first aid and failure to report the accident.

The vessel operator was transported to the Okaloosa County Jail.

Officers Pete Rockwell and Ken White assisted FWC Investigations with a single vessel boating accident involving serious injuries to an occupant.  The occupant fell overboard and sustained deep lacerations from the motor prop.  The victim was air lifted from the U. S. Coast Guard Station Destin and transported to Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola.  The investigation is ongoing.

FWC officers partnered with members of U.S. Coast Guard Station Destin, Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Alcoholic Beverage and Tobacco agents, Pensacola Police and Sheriff Departments from Okaloosa, Escambia, Santa Rosa, Walton, and Bay Counties during the 2009 Annual Billy Bow Leggs Pirate Invasion Festival in the Pensacola and Panama City areas to provide high profile patrols to interdict disturbances, careless/reckless vessel operation, and boating under the influence (BUIs) in an effort to discourage unlawful behavior and enhance public safety.  Additionally, emergency medical response personnel and equipment to address medical emergencies were present.  During the event, officers responded to eight vessel crashes - one with serious bodily injury; 32 medical emergencies - six requiring advanced care; 19 BUI arrests; three other arrests including battery, grand theft, and leaving a small child unattended on a vessel.

Special Agents with Alcoholic Beverage and Tobacco addressed several instances of underage drinking.

Officer Pete Rockwell responded to investigate a single vessel accident.

A preliminary investigation revealed the operator of a personal watercraft lost control and collided with the Tom's Bayou Bridge.  The operator was transported to a local hospital with serious abdominal injuries.  The accident investigation is ongoing.

Officer Ryan Nelson conducted a fishery inspection on a vessel in Destin Pass.  The inspection revealed an over-the-bag limit violation for red snapper.  The vessel captain was cited.

WALTON COUNTY

Officer Ken White responded to a boating accident involving a personal watercraft (PWC) with two occupants that hit the Highway 331 Bridge head on.  The occupants suffered minor injuries from the impact, but were transported to Sacred Heart Hospital for treatment and later released.

The PWC had major damage to its bow.  The investigation is ongoing.

BAY COUNTY

Officer Dennis Palmer and Reserve Officer Joey Miles were patrolling Deer Point Lake when they observed a personal watercraft being operated that fit the description of one that was stolen the previous week off of Shell Island.  The officers stopped the vessel and confirmed it was stolen.  The originating agency took over the investigation.

Lt. Jay Chesser and Officer Mike Nobles were patrolling Econfina Creek within the Econfina Wildlife Management Area and stopped a vessel that was operating carelessly.  While talking with the subjects, the officers located a cannabis cigarette.  A citation was issued for the violation.

Officer Dennis Palmer received information concerning a subject who had put what appeared to be an oversize redfish in the back of his car.  The fisher was located fishing in a small boat under the Hathaway Bridge and when asked, replied that he was catching sharks.  Officer Palmer then said he needed check the redfish in the back of his car and the fisher relented.  The officer found two oversized redfish, for which citations were issued for size and bag limit violations.

While on water patrol in the East Bay vicinity, Officers Neal Goss and Warren Walsingham inspected three fishermen in a boat near the Dupont Bridge.  During the course of the inspection, they found three small coastal sharks and three oversized red drum.  The three were issued appropriate citations and warnings.

Officer Nick Price was on water patrol near Tyndall Air Force Base in East Bay when he observed a spotlight working along the shoreline.  As he approached the vessel, he observed four people on board, two of which were attempting to take crabs with a dip net.  One individual was poling the vessel along and one individual was observing.  Officer Price inspected their catch and found egg-bearing blue crab in a cooler.  The crabs were released and the harvester was cited.

Officer Jim Moore was on water patrol in the Grand Lagoon area when he observed a personal watercraft in violation of the idle speed zone.

Officer Moore initiated a vessel stop and determined the operator was under the influence.  The operator agreed to a breath test.  The results confirmed Officer Moore's suspicion as the operator's breath sample registered .158 and .166.  The operator was booked into the Bay County Jail.

Officers David Brady and Nick Price were on water patrol in the Gulf of Mexico and located a small vessel with two fishermen on board.  During a resource inspection, the officers found undersize gag grouper, triggerfish, and greater amberjack.  Appropriate citations were issued.

Officer Nick Price checked a local marina on Watson Bayou early one morning and observed a shrimp vessel sorting through the previous night's catch.  During the inspection, he found nine egg-bearing blue crabs and 32 shark fins.  He also observed one of the crew strip the eggs from the crabs and discard them into the water.  Officer Price issued citations to the vessel master and crewman.

WASHINGTON COUNTY

Officer Warren Walsingham observed two juveniles parked in a secluded area just south of Caryville.  When Officer Walsingham approached, he observed one subject tossing two objects behind their vehicle tire.

Further investigation yielded an uncooperative teenager and seizure of a smoking device along with a bag of cannabis less than 20 grams.  Officer Walsingham cited the juvenile to appear in court.

Officers Warren Walsingham, Lane Kinney and Larry Morris assisted at the Billy Bow Leggs Festival in Fort Walton Beach.  Their results were four citations, three of which were boating under the influence cases, and ten boating safety warnings.