FWC Division of Law Enforcement Weekly Highlights For Cases In Brevard County
By Space Coast Daily // July 11, 2017
eight undersized sheepshead lead to arrest
EDITOR’S NOTE: The following report highlights some cases the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission handled in Brevard County over the past week, but does not include all actions taken by the Division of Law Enforcement.
BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – While on water patrol in the Banana River, Officers Balgo and Graves saw two individuals walking along the shoreline with two buckets.
Officer Graves beached the vessel along the shoreline while Officer Balgo tried to make contact with the individuals. Officer Balgo saw a silver F-150 truck drive off under the causeway. Two buckets full of undersized fish were in the bushes. Officer Graves drove the vessel away from the buckets to try and locate the F-150 while Officer Balgo hid in the bushes.
About 15 minutes later, the two individuals returned to the buckets. One of the individuals grabbed the buckets and began walking away. Officer Balgo made contact with the individual and, upon performing a fisheries inspection, Officers Balgo and Graves found eight undersized sheepshead.
The individual also could not be positively identified. He was arrested and taken to the Brevard County Jail. Proper citations were issued.
While on water patrol in the Banana River, Officers Balgo and Graves stopped a personal water craft for violating the slow speed manatee zone.
During the vessel stop, Officer Balgo smelled a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from the operator. Officer Graves then performed a standardized field sobriety test on the operator, which indicated that the operator’s normal faculties were impaired.
The operator was placed under arrest and provided a breath sample at the jail which was recorded at a .186 blood alcohol level.
Two men were cited by Lt. Lightsey earlier in the year for hunting from the roadway.
The men plead and were sentenced to hunting from the right of way and hunting with dogs not properly collared. The fines were $489 and $629 for the two men.
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