Field operations weekly report [Feb. 21, 2015]

Department of Natural Resources
Law Enforcement Division
Field Operations
Weekly Report February 15 - 21, 2015
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 Division.
For additional news and updates, "Like" the LE Division's Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/gadnrle

Region I- Calhoun (Northwest)
BARTOW COUNTY On February 21st, Cpl. Byron Young and RFC Zack Hardy responded to a call of subjects hunting rabbits without permission off Carroll Slough Rd. The officers located 4 hunters on the property with dogs. The hunters were issued citations for hunting on lands of another without permission. One hunter was issued a warning for hunting without a license.
On February 21st, Cpl. Byron Young and RFC Zack Hardy responded to a call of a body found in the Etowah River. A fisherman located a white male in the river off Old River Rd. The officers assisted Bartow County Investigators and Fire and Rescue units with the recovery. The cause of death is unknown at this time.
Region II- Gainesville (Northeast)
HART On February 15th, while working a drowning on Lake Hartwell, Sgt. Stan Elrod and Cpl. Craig Fulghum received a call about a sinking boat near the Hartwell Dam with persons in the water. Elrod and Fulghum pulled off the drowning detail and responded by boat to the dam. A South Carolina patrol boat also responded from the drowning incident to assist. Upon arrival, there was only one subject and he had been pulled into a Geico Fishing boat that was practicing for the Bass Masters tournament to be held next week. The 21-foot Glassport boat is on the bottom of the lake. The man advised that he forgot to put his plug in and when he realized the boat was sinking, he grabbed 2 youth life jackets and held on. He stayed in the water approximately 10 minutes until the bass boat saw him.
Region III- Thomson (East Central)
JEFFERSON COUNTY February 16, RFC Matherly Responded to Atlanta to assist with Patrolling I-20 during Winter Storm Octavia. RFC Matherly was tasked with searching for stranded motorist to aid in assistance with medical, vehicular, or other problems that may have arose from the inclement weather, which had been predicted for the area. RFC Matherly aided two motorists that had wrecked due to ice on the roadway, and one motorist whose vehicle had begun to overheat. RFC Matherly also assisted Dekalb SO with a wreck, in which the driver was found by RFC Matherly to be driving under the influence. The driver was intoxicated to the point that he thought someone had side swiped his vehicle causing him to wreck; although he had just run off the roadway and struck the dividing wall in the center of the interstate. The driver was turned over to the Dekalb County Sheriff's Deputy and transported to the Dekalb County Jail.
February 20, RFC Matherly responded to the Atlanta area to assist with Winter Storm #2. RFC Matherly was tasked with planning and logistics to assist in positioning Rangers throughout the Atlanta area, to assist with coordinating with other state agencies when a Ranger requested assistance with an issue in the field. RFC Matherly also sent out communications to other responding officers, which were reporting for a second shift to patrol the Atlanta area, so as to keep them abreast of what was needed and where to patrol for their tours.
BURKE COUNTY RFC Jeff Billips patrolled Wildlife Management Areas in Burke County. RFC Billips was deployed to Atlanta as part of a Strike Team for the Winter Storm Octavia event. RFC Billips taught a hunter education class at the Corinth Christian Church. Mrs. Perry's Fried Pies attended.

Region IV- Macon (West Central)
WILKINSON COUNTY On February 21st, Ranger Matt Johnson, RFC Alan Mills, RFC Ronnie Beard, Cpl. Lynn Stanford and Sgt. Bo Kelly assisted with the annual Quail Hunt For Kids held in southern Wilkinson County. Over a dozen kids who had completed hunter education participated in the event where they hunted quail as well as had a skeet shooting competition. Thanks to the volunteers, those that donated prizes and landowners for allowing this event to continue.
Region V- Albany (Southwest)
No activity to report
Region VI- Metter (Southeast)
ECHOLS COUNTY On February 20th, Sgt. Patrick Dupree and Ranger Daniel North attended the Echols County Schools' career day in Statenville. More than 300 students visited the DNR LED table and spoke with the officers about employment with the agency.
Ranger North speaks with Echols High School students at career day event.
Region VII- Brunswick (Coastal)
No activity to report.