FWC Law Enforcement Report
This report represents some events the FWC handled June 2-8 in the Northwest region. (There were no cases reported for Wakulla County.)
SANTA ROSA COUNTY
• On Memorial Day, Officers Burkhead and Roberson were patrolling Blackwater Wildlife Management Area when they noticed a truck parked with a male and a female on a closed road inside of the management area. When the officers went to address the violation, they found the registered owner of the vehicle to be currently on probation for numerous drug offenses. Officer Burkhead noticed that the female appeared under the influence of some unknown drug. The officers gained consent to search the vehicle and located a large bag of a white crystal substance as well as a glass smoking device under the seat. The male immediately admitted the substance was his. Upon further investigation, they found that the substance tested positive for methamphetamine and the amount to be over 14 grams in weight. The subject was arrested for possession of methamphetamine, trafficking of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia and violation of probation. The subject was transported and booked into the Santa Rosa County Jail.
• Officers Burkhead and Pettey were conducting an investigation involving deer depredation permits. While interviewing with the subject, they noticed he never closed out a current deer depredation permit he was using the night before. The subject was charged with failing to produce and keep a copy of the permit in his possession as well as other deer depredation permit violations.
• Officers Burkhead and Wilkenson received a report regarding a vessel that had recently become derelict in Indian Bayou. The officers located the vessel and found it to be in a submerged and wrecked condition. The officers learned the vessel had been sold recently. When the officers located the person who was in last control of the vessel, they conducted an interview and found the subject had capsized the vessel and left it in the water in a wrecked condition. Officer Wilkinson charged the subject with leaving a derelict vessel on state waters.
ESCAMBIA COUNTY
• Officer Hahr was on patrol in the Pensacola Pass when he observed a charter vessel returning from the Gulf of Mexico. He stopped the vessel to check their catch, and the captain stated they had caught a blacktip shark. When inspecting the shark, Officer Hahr identified it as a spinner shark, a similar species, and provided information about the difference between blacktip and spinner sharks. The spinner shark was approximately 10” under the legal size and the captain was issued a citation for possession of the undersized shark.