NORTHEAST REGION Weekly Violations - NORTHEAST REGION Weekly Violations BREVARD AND INDIAN RIVER COUNTIES Officers Chase Platt, Van Streety, Bill Lowry, Philip Glover, Damon Saunders, Kris Culver and Lieutenant Travis Franklin worked a detail along the St

NORTHEAST REGION Weekly Violations

BREVARD AND INDIAN RIVER COUNTIES

Officers Chase Platt, Van Streety, Bill Lowry, Philip Glover, Damon Saunders, Kris Culver and Lieutenant Travis Franklin worked a detail along the St. John’s River over the weekend of August 15 through 17 for the opening of the alligator hunt. Seven citations were issued for violations involving hunting alligators out of assigned zone and hunting alligators without a permit. Numerous warnings were issued for similar hunt violations and boating safety infractions during the hunt.

LAKE COUNTY

Officer Steve Adam was checking three fishermen in Alexander Springs Creek in Astor. One subject had active warrants in Marion and Lake Counties. The subject was booked into the county jail.

MARION COUNTY

Officer Joe Simpson coordinated a detail for the opening of alligator hunting season in Lake and Marion counties with Officers John Wilke, Steve Adam, Wash Wear, Wayne Hargabus, Tom Kist, Ian Sweet, Joe Johnston Jr. and Lieutenant Kevin Steinke participating. A few minor violations were cited for boating safety issues and Officers Kist and Sweet cited a subject for hunting in a closed area and operating an airboat on Emeralda Marsh.

On the evening of August 16, while attempting to work the gator hunting detail, Officers Hargabus and Wear responded to a boating incident on Lake Kerr. It was reported that two females were in a vessel that ran into the weeds and they were possibly injured. The sheriff’s office and EMS responded, and the women were transported to Munroe Regional Hospital to be monitored for possible injuries. Officers Wilke and Simpson went to the hospital and attempted to get witness statements from the females but they were very uncooperative. It was learned that neither woman was injured and there was no damage to the vessel. One of the women then advised the officers she had been sexually assaulted while on the lake. The sheriff’s office responded to the hospital and is continuing the investigation.

During the night of August 17, Officers Wilke and Adam were attempting to locate alligator hunters in the Eureka area of the Ocklawaha River when they observed a truck drive under the Hwy. 316 bridge. The officers used their night vision goggles to observe the subject in the truck. They approached the truck on foot and encountered a male subject that was obviously seriously injured. The subject was bleeding heavily from both of his arms and was attempting to commit suicide. He was on the phone with his mother-in-law, and she advised the officers that the sheriff’s office was looking for him. The subject had just been involved in a domestic incident, and the sheriff’s office was actively searching for him. The officers quickly summoned the sheriff’s office and EMS, who transported him to the hospital.

On August 17, Officers Emily Vought and Kat Kelley were on water patrol on Lake Weir. They observed a vessel violate an idle zone and watched a passenger on the vessel throw a cup into the water. The vessel was stopped and the driver showed signs of impairment. After performing and failing numerous field sobriety tasks, the operator was taken into custody for boating under the influence and booked into the county jail.

Officers Wilke and Simpson received information of subjects pulling gopher tortoises on a horse farm. The officers located two subjects with gopher remains in their yard and in the trunk of their car. The foreman of the ranch was also interviewed and advised the officers of how he asked the subjects to remove the tortoises from the farm. All three subjects will be cited accordingly after consulting with the state attorney’s office.

Officers Wilke and Simpson received information of subjects dumping litter on Ross Prairie. The officers responded and found suspect information in the trash pile. After tracking down the suspects and interviews, three sworn confessions were given to the officers. All three subjects will be cited accordingly.

PUTNAM COUNTY

On August 20, Officer Ben Eason responded to a complaint where a witness had observed a Satsuma man shoot an alligator. After taking statements, Officer Eason direct filed charges with the state attorney’s office charging the individual with taking alligator.

SUMTER COUNTY

In the early morning of August 17, Officer Ian Sweet was patrolling the Richloam Wildlife Management Area and watched a vehicle enter the management area. He initiated a resource inspection of the vehicle, which was occupied by two subjects, and located an uncased .22 caliber rifle in plain view within the vehicle. The subjects were issued citations for possession of an uncased gun in the Richloam Wildlife Management Area.


Create an Account		Home · ReefCast · WaveCast · Supermap · Tide Charts · Radar · Solunar · Account · Photo Gallery · Videos · Forums · Recipes · Classified Ads