Field operations weekly report, 2013 February 10-16

Department of Natural Resources
Wildlife Resources Division Law Enforcement Section
Field Operations
Weekly Report February 10-16, 2013
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 February 11, Cpl. Byron Young, RFC Bart Hendrix, and Ranger Zack Hardy responded to a call from Euharlee PD in reference to an unoccupied boat floating down the Etowah River. The river was running high due to generation. The officers responded by boat and located a 15 foot aluminum boat with a 35 HP Mercury. RFC Hendrix baled water from the vessel and the officers towed the vessel back to the Euharlee Road Bridge. The Euharlee PD and GA DNR have been unable to locate an owner for the vessel. The vessel had not been registered since 2005. Contact DNR Law Enforcement Region I or Euharlee Police Department if you know the owner of the vessel which may have been docked along the Etowah River near Cartersville, Ga.

FANNIN COUNTY On February 6th, RFC Cody Jones assisted GBI and the Fannin County S.O. in the search and apprehension of a suspect accused of stabbing a woman and kidnapping two young children. Officers searched surrounding wooded areas and several residences. The suspect and the two children were located in a camper trailer. Officers took the suspect into custody and secured the children. The children suffered no major injuries and the woman was treated for stab wounds and is in stable condition.
HARALSON COUNTY February 4th, RFC Daniel Gray was conducting a routine foot patrol in Haralson County. While conducting the foot patrol, an illegal trap was discovered on a small creek with a live raccoon in it. Surveillance was conducted on the trap for 7 hours until two subjects appeared to check the trap. After taking the trap and leaving the area, the subjects were stopped. One subject was cited for trapping without a license and possession of a game animal without a permit. The second subject, a juvenile, was given verbal guidance.
Region II- Gainesville (Northeast)
HART COUNTY On February 14th, Corporal Craig Fulghum received a call from the Hart County 911 Center in reference to a possible illegal burn off Mt. Olivet Road. The call involved a subject that was burning household trash along with tires in a burn pit behind a residence. Cpl. Fulghum, along with the fire department, arrived on scene and investigated the matter. A citation was issued for unlawful burning of egregious litter.
DAWSON COUNTY On February 14th, Sgt. Lee Brown was notified by the GBI that a suspect from a case that they were working may be on Dawson Forest WMA. Sgt. Brown, RFC Mitchell Crump, Wildlife Technician IV Scott Bardenwerper and Wildlife Technician III David Shattuck along with two Dawson County Deputies searched the area of where the suspect may be. During the search the suspect was not located.
LAKE LANIER One February 11th, RFC Barry Britt and Sgt. Lee Brown responded to a search and rescue case on Lake Lanier in Bald Ridge Creek. Around 10:00 p.m., RFC Britt talked to a private citizen who reported seeing a jon boat going around in tight circles in the middle of Bald Ridge Creek. RFC Britt and Sgt. Brown found the boat out of gas and against the rocks along the shore when they arrived on scene. They initiated a search for the missing boat operator. DNR/Law Enforcement along with several other agencies have continued searching for the missing boat operator throughout the week.

Region III- Thomson (East Central)
WALTON COUNTY On February 16, Sgt. Brian Carter, Cpl. Julian Wilkins, and RFC Ricky Boles performed vessel inspections at the WRCC building in Social Circle. Ten vessel inspections were performed and several vessels were issued new hull identification numbers. Inspections took about two hours.
RICHMOND COUNTY February 16, Cpl. Ben Payne patrolled Richmond County checking without permission complaints. He also checked local creeks for fishing activity. No violations were documented. Later in the afternoon he patrolled Phinizy WMA for hunting activity with no contacts made. Rabbit hunters were checked at a local hunting club. A total of 4 hunters and 10 rabbits were checked with no violations.
WASHINGTON COUNTY Corporal Micheal Crawley attended a 40 hour k9 in-service class in Forsyth.
Region IV- Macon (West Central)
HARRIS COUNTY On February 10th, Sergeant Jim Bradfield placed the following "PFD's required" sign at the boat ramp at the airport in Valley Alabama. The Chattahoochee River at that location is in Harris County. The sign was made by the City of West Point and similar signs are located at both boat ramps in West Point. These signs warn boaters of the hazardous waters and the requirement to wear PFD's at all times while boating there

MONROE COUNTY On February 11th-15th, the K-9 unit conducted spring in-service training. The handlers trained in tactical tracking, building searches, article location, wildlife detection, and apprehension work. The unit also trained along with the aviation unit to accustom the K9's with flying in the event that the teams are ever deployed by helicopter. K9 Ruger and Corporal Jeremy Bolen are pictured in the aircraft.
Region V- Albany (Southwest)
DOOLY COUNTY On February 14th, RFC Clint Martin and Ranger Jesse Harrison assisted the Dooly County Sheriff's Office with the execution of search warrants which lead to the arrests of fifteen individuals for illegal drug activity and other violations. WILCOX COUNTY In November of 2012, Cpl. Al Greer received information that a large white tail buck had been taken illegally by a convicted felon. Cpl. Greer initiated an investigation, during which he interviewed numerous people and followed a variety of leads. Based on information gathered during Greer's investigation, a search warrant was obtained for the suspect's home. During the search, conducted by Greer and the Wilcox County Sheriff's Office, stolen property along with photos and other information related to the deer in question were found. Using information gained during the investigation, Cpl. Greer networked with other DNR rangers in an attempt to locate the deer. It was found a short time later by Cpl. Robert Stillwell at a taxidermist shop in Monroe County, and seized as evidence.

Following a three month investigation, Cpl. Greer charged the subject with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon (felony), tampering with evidence (felony), hunting deer at night, hunting big game from a public road, hunting from a vehicle, possession of illegally taken wildlife, hunting without a license, and hunting without a big game license. The Wilcox County Sheriff's Office charged the subject with two counts of theft by receiving stolen property and other charges are pending.
Cpl. Al Greer and Illegally Taken Wilcox Co Buck
Region VI- Metter (Southeast)
DODGE COUNTY On February 10th, RFC Allen Mills and Cpl. Dan Stiles conducted a patrol at the Dodge County PFA. A boating safety inspection was performed on two vessels. Four anglers were checked and two anglers were fishing with expired licenses. Violations for fishing without a license and fishing on a PFA without a WMA license were documented.

EFFINGHAM COUNTY On February 10th, RFC Jamey O'Brien was on vessel patrol on the Savannah River. As RFC O'Brien was patrolling upstream he noticed two vessels in the bushes in a remote area of the river. As O'Brien passed the vessels two subjects stood and waved their arms for RFC O'Brien to stop. Once the subjects were approached, it was discovered that two elderly males had been testing out their boats when both of their vessels had broken down. Both of the elderly males were exhausted from trying to get their boats started. RFC O'Brien was also unable to get their boats started so he decided to further assist the boat owners by towing them in. Both vessels were safely towed to a nearby landing and the subjects were able to get their boats out of the water before dark.
On February 9th, RFC Jamey O'Brien and Sgt. Don Dasher patrolled and checked 11 small game hunters hunting rabbits. Two violations were detected, one for hunting with unplugged shotgun and the other for hunting without a license.
WARE COUNTY On February 12th, Corporal Josh Chambers and Ranger Daniel North were checking fishermen and boaters at river access points on the Satilla River. While checking the Jamestown access, the two officers encountered a male and a female fishing. The male claimed to have a valid fishing license but did not have it with him, while the female admitted to not having a valid fishing license. Corporal Chambers checked the male by using the mobile data terminal in his patrol vehicle and discovered the male had not had a valid Georgia fishing license in over three years. The male subject was issued a citation for fishing without a license and the female was issued a warning for fishing without a license.
COFFEE COUNTY On February 17th, Sgt. Damon Winters responded to a call of a subject pointing a gun at another on Flat Tub WMA. Upon arrival the complainant and suspect were gone. Sgt. Winters looked for them along the river and came upon two trucks with boat trailers at Barr's Bluff Landing. After a short time both boats arrived back at the landing. There were two hunters in each boat. One boat had a hog tied on the bow that had been killed. After a compliance check, Sgt. Winters documented three violations; hunting w/o a license, operating a vessel w/o PFD's, and operating a vessel w/o registration.
LOWNDES COUNTY On February 15th, Sgt. Damon Winters, Cpl. Morty Wood, RFC Keith McDonald, RFC Joe Hilton, RFC Jon Penuel, and RFC Chris Carlisle assisted Lowndes County S.O. with a South Region Traffic Enforcement Network roadblock detail. RFC Penuel and Carlisle brought the Region V Intox Trailer for evidence testing at the scene. All LE Officers at the detail were divided into three teams. Each team was giving four locations. Their mission was to work each location for two hours and detect any violations that came through. At the end of the detail the violations found were 9 seatbelt, 18 child restraint, 15 Operating w/o License, 10 Operating while suspended, 7 DUI's, 6 Underage Drinking, 3 Operating w/o insurance, 2 Possession of Marijuana, 2 Possession of Cocaine, 6 wanted Fugitives, 56 other violations such as defective equipment, and 2 stolen guns recovered.

Region VII- Brunswick (Coastal)
BRYAN COUNTY On Sunday, February 10th, Cpl. Jay Morgan was patrolling the area around the Tivoli Tract of the Richmond Hill WMA. Cpl. Morgan noticed a suspicious vehicle and an ATV on the road adjoining the WMA. Cpl. Morgan began to watch as the ATV hooked to a mattress and begin pulling it down the road. When Cpl. Morgan tried to stop the ATV, the subjects on the ATV tried to flee. He then told the four subjects at the car to "stay put". Cpl. Morgan tried to follow the ATV and notified Cpl. Phillip Scott and Ranger Jason Miller for assistance. When Cpl. Scott and Ranger Miller arrived on scene, Cpl. Morgan was with the vehicle and the four subjects. The ATV had gotten away. After interviewing the four subjects, the Rangers along with two Bryan County Deputies were able to locate the ATV and the two riders at a nearby home. Considering the ages of all of the subjects, the parents of each were called and numerous citations were issued. They included "littering" and "misdemeanor fleeing and eluding". The subjects were then released to the custody of their parents. This concluded the incident.
On Sunday, February 10th, Cpl. Phillip Scott was called to a complaint at the Richmond Hill WMA Shooting Range concerning a gentleman that was violating range rules and also using profanity towards the Range Master while not listening to his commands. When Cpl. Scott arrived on scene, the gentleman was already gone. Cpl. Scott then began taking witness statements and began an incident report. After a few minutes, Ranger Jason Miller arrived on scene to assist with the investigation. The two Rangers were able to identify the subject from a business card that he left while trying to sell his gun. Cpl. Scott was able to contact the subject and explained to him the range rules. He also explained that if he came back to the range, he must obey the rules or could be issued citations. This concluded the incident.