Field operations weekly report, 2010 July 18-24

Department of Natural Resources
Wildlife Resources Division Law Enforcement Section
Field Operations
Weekly Report July 18-24, 2010
This report is a broad sampling of events that have taken place in the past week, but does not include all actions taken by the Law Enforcement Section.

Region I- Calhoun (Northwest)
BARTOW COUNTY On the evening of July 21st, Sgt. Mike Barr received a call from a person on a pontoon boat in the area of the "narrows" on Lake Allatoona. The person stated that a white and burgundy colored jet-ski had come between their boat and a ski boat and within 5 feet of a skier. They yelled at the jet-ski and the operator came back to their boat "cussing" and using obscene gestures. The jet-ski left, and then returned and would run up to their pontoon boat within feet and splash their boat. The pontoon operator stated that the person on the jet-ski then used obscene language against the other ski boat and left in a direction of Bethany Bridge. On the way to the lake, Sgt. Barr received another call from a person who was pulling his son on a tube in front of the dam. He stated that jet-ski passed him within 50 feet going about 35 40 mph and did not have a person operating the boat. He followed the boat trying to warn others with his horn. He stated the jet-ski crashed and ran up on shore next to the Bartow Beach. Sgt. Barr arrived and was assisted by several Bartow County Deputies including Deputy Chris Day. They located the jet-ski and a person trying to get the jet-ski back into the water. He had part of a lanyard with him. The person was interviewed and the situation investigated. The jet-ski matched the description of the original caller and the operator was positively identified. The young man, age 21, was arrested and charged with "reckless operation of a vessel".
After dark on July 22nd, the caretaker at the Allatoona Dam Road Corp Park called Bartow County 911. He found a vehicle parked at the boat ramp on the Etowah River. He spoke with fishermen who were taking a boat out that stated they had seen two females and a child in a raft over a mile and a half downstream. They were headed for the spillway. The spillway is a waterfall that drops over 30 feet into very turbulent waters. Sgt. Barr directed Bartow County rescue personnel to the spillway and started to the area. As Sgt. Barr was about to turn onto Pagamine Road, he noticed three people coming out of the woods with paddles. It was 11pm. Sgt. Barr identified the three as the missing rafters. They had become lost in the fog on the Etowah River and decided to walk out. They did not have life jackets, lights, or even a cell phone. Sgt. Barr made sure everyone was accounted for and assisted the lost rafters back to their vehicle.
CHEROKEE COUNTY On July 18th, RFC Brooks Varnell and RFC Bart Hendrix worked a special detail assisting Cherokee County with the recent burglaries and boat thefts that had taken place at Hillhouse Lodge on Lake Allatoona. The Rangers hid their patrol boat and watched the cabins and boats that had been previously broken into on several occasions. The Rangers watched the area most of the night until 3am. They didn't encounter any criminal activity that night.

On July 24th, RFC Bart Hendrix was advised by Cherokee County Sheriff's Office that two arrests had been made on the burglaries on Lake Allatoona at Hillhouse Lodge. The Bridgemill Subdivision connected the parties involved to the area. Evidence collected by investigators led to positive ID of the people involved. Other arrest may be pending as the case progresses.
I- Gainesville (Northeast)
DAWSON COUNTY On July 24th, Cpl. Roberson conducted a Kids Fishing Event at Amicalola Falls State Park along with the Amicalola Long Beards Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation. Sixty kids under age sixteen participated.
HALL COUNTY On July 18th, while on patrol in Shoal Creek on Lake Lanier, Cpl Roberson came in contact with a subject who was operating a vessel under the influence. The subject failed field sobriety and was placed under arrest for BUI.
On July 24th, Sgt. Lee Brown and Cpl. Jason Roberson went to East Bank Park on Lake Lanier to assist Cpl. Eric Sanders with an incident involving a female subject assalting her boyfriend. The Corp of Engineer and the Gwinnett County Police Department assisted with the incident The Gwinnett County P. D. took over the case.
Region III- Thomson (East Central)
WALTON COUNTY On July 16th, Ranger Nikki Spencer, received a complaint of fishing w/o permission on Briscoe Reservoir. She arrived and found a truck with no one around. After being unable to locate anyone late that night she left. The next day she located the vehicle and after interviews and witness statements she charged three subjects with fishing without permission.
Region IV- Macon (West Central)
BALDWIN COUNTY On the evening of July 24th RFC Chad Welch and Corporal Bubba Stanford were patrolling the area known as the Junction on Lake Sinclair when they observed a boat anchored without any visible lights displayed. The rangers checked the boat and occupants and a citation was issued for the violation.

HANCOCK COUNTY On the evening of July 23rd Cpl. Bill Goodson and Cpl. Bubba Stanford were patrolling the Island Creek area of Lake Sinclair when they observed a bass boat traveling across the lake without lights. A stop of vessel resulted in a citation being issued for operating without lights and a warning given for not having the correct number of life jackets.
JASPER COUNTY On the night of July 24th, while patrolling the Ocmulgee River, RFC Wil Smith observed a boat with two subjects who were hanging limb lines. RFC Smith was able to see that they were not wearing lifejackets in the Hazardous Area below Jackson Lake dam. He waited for the subjects to return to land and then approached them. There were no lifejackets onboard and one subject did not have a fishing license. RFC Smith then explained to them the reason for the mandatory wear of lifejackets below the dam. Both subjects were issued citations for failure to wear lifejackets in a Hazardous Area.
On July 20th RFC Billy Bryant taught a man tracking class to a group of Boy Scouts at Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center. Bryant gave the scouts classroom instruction on how to read, detect and age sign. He then took them outside to follow a track and locate a business card at the end of the track.
On July 20th, while patrolling boat ramps, RFC Billy Bryant encountered two subjects drinking alcohol at a boat ramp on the Ocmulgee River; the two were about to drive away from the boat ramp when Bryant pulled up. After a brief investigation Bryant determined that both subjects were intoxicated and were well above the legal limit to operate a motor vehicle. The subjects called a third party to come get them and left their vehicle at the boat ramp overnight. Both subjects were charged for possessing an open container of alcohol at a state owned boat ramp.
On July 24th RFC Keith Page and RFC Billy Bryant were patrolling Jackson Lake for fishing activity and boating safety concerns. At approximately 10:35 p.m. they noticed a vessel traveling up the lake with a bow light that was blinking on and off. The Rangers stopped the vessel and advised the operator of the light malfunction. In doing so, officers detected the odor of alcoholic beverages and, after a brief investigation, determined the operator was under the influence. The operator was arrested and charged with operating a vessel with improper lights, operating a vessel without a throwable device, and operating a vessel under the influence of alcohol. He was transported to the Jasper County Jail.
Region V- Albany (Southwest)
CLAY COUNTY On the night of July 24th, RFC's Jim Atchley and Bob Holley conducted a boat patrol on Lake Walter F. George. One citation was issued for operating a boat during hours of darkness without lights and one warning for fishing without a license.

DECATUR COUNTY On July 24th, RFC Jeff Phillips responded to a boat incident with injuries that occurred on the Flint River. The incident occurred when a female was thrown from a tube after hitting a large wake. The girl was transported to the Bainbridge E.R. and was later released. No violations were detected in this incident.
BAKER COUNTY On July 18th, R.F.C. Randy Davis conducted a boating safety patrol north and south of Newton landing on the Flint River. A boater was issued a written warning for operating a vessel with insufficient life jackets.
BAKER COUNTY On July 24th, R.F.C. David Brady received a report that a boat had been found adrift on the Flint River. There were personal belongings of the boat owner in the boat, but he was unable to be located. DNR Law Enforcement, Baker County Sheriff's Office, and local volunteers initiated a search of the area. The missing boaters body was located on Monday, July 26th.
WORTH COUNTY On Friday July 23rd, RFC Al Greer, RFC Ben Roberts, and Sgt. Danny Bishop assisted with a multi-agency road check in Worth County. The officers provided a mobile intox. machine to assist the efforts of various local law enforcement agencies in detecting and apprehending impaired drivers.
Region VI- Metter (Southeast)
BULLOCH COUNTY On July 18th, Cpl. Eddie Akins checked Williams Landing, Oliver Bridge, Steel Bridge and Dashers Landing for boating and fishing activity. No violations were documented, however verbal guidance was given to several rafters about lifejacket requirements for their drifting down the river.
EFFINGHAM COUNTY On July 21st, RFC Brandon Pierce and Cpl. Eddie Akins conducted a boating safety patrol on the Savannah River. A total of three boats were inspected. No violations were documented.
On July 24th, RFC Brandon Pierce patrolled river landings along both the Ogeechee and Savannah Rivers. A total of fifteen boats and ten fishing licenses were checked. No violations were documented but verbal guidance was given on several occasions in reference the boating laws of Georgia and how to obtain a boat registration.

On July 25th, RFC Brandon Pierce and Sgt. William Vickers patrolled river landings and local creeks for boating and fishing activity. Later that evening the officers responded to a possible boating accident. A total of six subjects were involved in an accident in the Ogeechee River while floating down the river. All subjects were slammed into a fallen tree by the current of the river. One subject was taken to the hospital suffering a concussion. None of the subjects had life jackets. All subjects were released but the investigation is still on going.
EVANS COUNTY On July 25th, RFC Debbie Brannen checked fishing and boating activity on the Evans County Public Fishing area. A total of five licenses and one boat were checked. Violations were documented for fishing without licenses, fishing on a P.F.A. without a W.M.A. license, consuming alcohol on a P.F.A., operating a vessel without registration, operating a vessel without life jackets and possession of undersize fish.
PIERCE COUNTY On July 13th, Cpl. Damon Winters assisted the Pierce County Sheriff's Office with a search warrant in the Session Hill area of Pierce County. After a search of the premises one suspect was arrested and a small amount of marijuana was seized.
CHARLTON COUNTY On July 24th, Cpl. Damon Winters responded to a boating incident on the St. Mary's River. Initial reports indicate the boat struck an object that was just under the surface. The vessel was swamped and both passengers entered the water. The operator was injured and sought medical attention. Both people were able to swim to shore and call for help. The incident remains under investigation.
COOK COUNTY On the night of July 18th, Cpl. Greg Moody received a call concerning stranded boaters on the Little River. The fishermen were trying to make the trip from one bridge to another but due to low water had misjudged the time involved. Moody and Reed Bingham State Park Manager Suzanne Passmore responded, and along with three Cook County Deputies were able to locate the subjects and return them safely.
APPLING COUNTY On the evening of July 23rd, RFC Chase Altman was patrolling the Altamaha River for boating violations when a boat was spotted operating at night without the running lights on. The operator was cited for this violation and given a book on the boating laws in Georgia.
On July 24th, RFC Chase Altman was conducting a high visibility patrol at Lake Mayers. One operator was cited for operating a jet ski within 100 feet of shore/object in water above idle speed. This operator was given a book of the boating laws of Georgia as well.

COFFEE COUNTY On the 20th, RFC Hilton attended Counter Terrorist Task Force training session in LaGrange.
On July 24th, RFC Hilton was conducting a high- visibility patrol on the Ocmulgee River for boating and fishing violations. This patrol produced several verbal warnings for operating a vessel with unserviceable fire extinguisher and operating a vessel at night without lights.
Region VII- Brunswick (Coastal)
BRYAN COUNTY On July 11th, Sgt. James Shelton, Cpl. Phillip Scott, and Ranger Jack Thain patrolled the Medway River area checking several boaters. One person was cited for operating a vessel above idle speed within 100 feet of a dock. A resident-alien from Guatemala was cited for fishing crab traps of another person without permission and was taken to jail to post bond since he did not have any identification on his person.
On July 17th, Cpl. Jay Morgan and Ranger Jack Thain patrolled the Ogeechee River in the King's Ferry area. Two boaters were cited for failure to obey regulatory markers (Idle Speed Zone).
CAMDEN COUNTY On July 11th, Cpl. Chris Hodge responded to a call from a concerned boater that several people may be stranded near Cumberland Island on jet skis. Cpl. Hodge was able to locate 14 people who had gone out earlier in the day and were trying to make it back to St Marys. With a storm approaching, Cpl. Hodge loaded ten of the subjects in his patrol vessel and was able to return them to the boat ramp safely. After arriving at the ramp, Cpl. Hodge became suspicious that the operator was under the influence of alcohol. Upon further investigation, the operator was placed under arrest and transported to the Camden County Sheriff's Office for state testing. After refusing to take the state test, the operator was later charged with Boating Under the Influence of Alcohol.