Brevard Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Officers Bust Perps For Illegal Fishing, DUI
By Space Coast Daily // October 2, 2019
men arrested for driving under the influence
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 foot patrol at Ketchum Park Boat Ramp, Officer Balgo saw several individuals fishing along the seawall.
A resource inspection located an undersized red drum in one of the coolers. A citation and several warnings were issued accordingly.
Officer Balgo saw a vehicle stopped in the middle of US Highway 1.
The operator showed signs of impairment and Standardized Field Sobriety Tasks were performed. The operator was arrested for DUI. His breath sample was .22% blood alcohol concentration, almost three times the legal limit.
While on foot patrol at Florida State Road 528 and the Banana River, Officer Balgo saw an individual fishing near the shoreline.
A resource inspection found the individual in possession of over his daily bag limit of red drum. The individual was cited accordingly.
Officer Hallsten received a complaint that two individuals kept a tarpon at a popular fishing area.
Officer Hallsten contacted Lieutenant Lee who was in the area. Lieutenant Lee located the subjects with the tarpon in the back of their vehicle.
When Officer Hallsten arrived on the scene, he issued the subject who had caught and kept the tarpon a notice to appear and a fishing license citation.
Officers Hallsten and Balgo conducted a fisheries inspection on an individual fishing from shore.
The subject was found in possession of a redfish that was 34 ½ inches, with 27 inches being the maximum size for redfish. Officer Balgo issued a citation accordingly.
Officer Hallsten saw a vehicle driving without headlights on after dark.
The vehicle was driving very erratically, and a traffic stop was initiated. The operator appeared to be impaired and Standardized Field Sobriety Tasks were given.
The operator was arrested for DUI, refused to provide a breath sample, and was booked into the Brevard County Jail.
Lieutenant Lee led a post-storm assessment of the Intracoastal Waterway in Brevard and Indian River Counties after Hurricane Dorian passed through the area.
Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission received several reports of overturned and misplaced vessels due to the storm. Lieutenant Lee’s team searched 90 miles of waterway in a two-day period and identified 14 vessels that were misplaced during the storm.
Local officers will be conducting investigations on all 14 vessels to ensure they are recovered or removed from state waters if warranted.
Officer Maslo saw two men fishing from the shoreline.
A resource inspection revealed that one of the men was in possession of eleven mangrove snapper, eight of which were under the legal-size limit. Citations were issued accordingly.
Officer Loeffler received information about a subject keeping over the bag limit of redfish. After identifying the suspect, the officer conducted a resource inspection.
The inspection revealed three redfish, two of which were under the legal-size limit. Citations were issued accordingly.
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