FWC Law Enforcement Report
From FWCThis report represents some events the FWC handled June 30-July 6 in the Northwest region. (There were no cases reported for Wakulla County.)
BAY COUNTY
• Officers Christian Jarrell, Nicole Basford, and Travis Basford were on patrol in Bay County when they responded to call regarding a hit-and-run boating accident in Grand Lagoon. The officers arrived on scene and contacted the vessels involved in the accident. The operator of the striking vessel was displaying signs of impairment. After a brief boating accident investigation, a boating under the influence investigation was conducted on the operator of the striking vessel. Standardized field sobriety tasks were conducted, and the operator was determined to be boating under the influence. The operator was placed under arrest and transported to the Bay County Jail..
ESCAMBIA COUNTY
• Officers Lugg and Burkhead were on vessel patrol in Pensacola Bay when a pontoon boat passed them under Bob Sikes Bridge at a high rate of speed with several people on board. As the subject passed the officers, he took both hands off the steering wheel while the vessel was still underway. The officers stopped the vessel for careless operation and located an empty beer can under the operator’s feet. When asked, the operator, who was under the age of 21, admitted to drinking alcohol. Officer Burkhead conducted field sobriety tasks on the operator, who performed poorly on the tasks and showed several signs of impairment. The officers placed the subject under arrest for operating a vessel while under the influence of alcohol. The subject agreed to provide a breath sample in which the results were over the legal limit for blood alcohol concentration. The subject was transported and booked into the Escambia County jail.
GULF COUNTY
• Officers responded to a search and rescue on St. Joe Bay the night of July 4. A small jon boat with a male and female passenger was overdue. The vessel was located a few hours later stranded due to low tide. The vessel was escorted in to awaiting family members.