Sea Turtle Rescued By Brevard Sheriff’s Deputies, Earns Honorary Title of ‘Corporal Crush’

deputies found the turtle had a fishing hook embedded in one flipper with a six-pound weight

BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – A distressed sea turtle is now recovering thanks to a swift response by Deputies from the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office Canaveral Precinct, who were alerted by an off-duty Titusville Police Department commander.

Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey said the incident began when Titusville Police Commander Wright noticed a sea turtle struggling near the pier at Jetty Park and quickly contacted the Sheriff’s Office.

Sgt. Contos and Deputy Williams responded to the scene, where they discovered the turtle entangled in fishing line and unable to swim freely.

With help from nearby good Samaritans, Sgt. Contos borrowed a net and successfully brought the turtle ashore.

Upon closer examination, deputies found the turtle had a fishing hook embedded in one flipper, with a six-pound weight still attached to the line. While they were able to remove the excess line and weight, the embedded hook required expert care.

That’s when Melanie, a dedicated volunteer for both the Sea Turtle Preservation Society and the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office, arrived to help. She carefully secured the turtle—now nicknamed “Corporal Crush”—into a transport basket and delivered him to the Brevard Zoo for specialized treatment.

Sheriff Ivey praised everyone involved.

“Thank you to Cmdr. Wright, Melanie, the helpful citizens, the Brevard Zoo, and of course all of our team at Canaveral Precinct for doing another incredible job in keeping all of our community members safe… even the ones with flippers!” said Sheriff Ivey.

Officials hope that after receiving care at the Brevard Zoo, Corporal Crush will soon return to the ocean and continue “patrolling” the waters near Port Canaveral.

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