Field operations weekly report [June 21-27, 2015]

Department of Natural Resources
Law Enforcement Division
Field Operations
Weekly Report June 21 June 27, 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.

Region I- Calhoun (Northwest)
BARTOW COUNTY On June 22nd, Cpl. Byron Young and RFC Zack Hardy stopped a vessel in the area of Bartow Carver Park on Allatoona Lake. The operator was found to be under the influence of alcohol. A test on the Intox 9000 revealed an alcohol concentration of .224g, almost 3 times the legal limit. The operator was arrested and transported to the Bartow County Jail.
On June 22nd, Cpl. Brooks Varnell and Intern Ray Kennedy stopped a PWC on Allatoona Lake for operating without lights after hours. The operator was found to be under the influence. He was placed under arrest and transported back to the DNR boathouse. After testing, the subject jumped into the lake and swam to shore. Once on shore Cpl. Varnell was involved in a foot chase with the subject. Both the violator and Cpl. Varnell ended up falling into the lake. Cpl. Varnell was able to subdue the subject until Bartow SO and GSP units arrived to help. The subject was charged with BUI, Operating PWC During Hours of Darkness and Obstruction of a Police Officer.
On June 24th, Cpl. Byron Young and RFC Zack Hardy followed up on additional leads about an out of state illegal hunting investigation. The officers have been working the investigation for several months. Last month the officers seized 2 bucks and charges were made by Illinois DNR CPO Micheal Goetten. This week RFC Hardy was able to interview another hunter that had killed a buck in Illinois illegally. Additional charges are pending from Illinois DNR.
On June 26th, RFC Micheal Crawley checked 3 suspicious people in a parking area off Hwy 20 Spur around midnight. RFC Crawley interviewed the three men and they gave no valid reason to be in the area. Cpl. Brooks Varnell and RFC Bart Hendrix arrived to assist. A search of the immediate area with K-9 "Rock" uncovered a 9mm pistol and a small amount of marijuana. One of the men took responsibility for the items. He was arrested and transported to the Bartow County Jail.
On June 27th, Cpl. Brooks Varnell, RFC Micheal Crawley and RFC Bart Hendrix responded with Bartow County Fire / Rescue / Sheriff's Officers to the Etowah River for an emergency call. A male launched a 19 foot center console fishing boat at the Hwy 411 boat ramp at 1:00 a.m. The Etowah River in Bartow County is very shallow ranging from 1 to 8 foot deep in this area. The man quickly became stranded on rocks and called 911. The officers assisted Bartow Fire with a rescue boat in getting him back to the boat ramp.
POLK COUNTY On June 24th, RFC Chad Cox assisted US Marshals, Polk County Sheriff Office, GSP Troopers, GSP Aviation, Rome K9, Cedartown PD and Polk PD search for a wanted murder suspect. The subject was spotted in a wooded area around Cedartown by a Cedartown PD Officer. The subject is still on the loose and considered armed and dangerous.

FULTON COUNTY On June 27th, RFC Daniel Gray patrolled on the Chattahoochee River for boating and fishing activity. During the patrol 17 vessels were checked and 9 fishing license were checked. 1 citation was issued for operating vessel w/o PFD's and 2 warnings were issued for fishing w/o trout license.
Region II- Gainesville (Northeast)
HART COUNTY On June 27th, Cpl. Craig Fulghum and Officer Matthew London with Lavonia Police Department patrolled Lake Hartwell during operation dry water for boating violations. Numerous fishing licenses and boats were checked for proper safety equipment. A total of six citations and warnings were issued. The violations consisted of towing skier with PWC without observer on board, jumping a wake of a vessel within 100 foot, Failure to obey regulatory marker, and allowing underage children to ride in moving vessel without wearing PFD.
Region III- Thomson (East Central)
ELBERT COUNTY On June 26th Cpt. Mark Padgett, Sgt. Matt Garthright, Cpl. Mark Patterson, and RFC Tim Butler patrolled Lake Russell by vessel. The Rangers also provided security for a fireworks display held on Richard B. Russell State Park. During the patrol a number of boating violations were documented including operating a vessel with insufficient personal flotation devices and operating a vessel with improper lights.
COLUMBIA COUNTY On June 27th, Rangers from four work units participated in a region wide detail on Clarks Hill Lake. The detail was centered around Operation Dry Water, a nation- wide zero tolerance on boating and drinking. The operation yielded one subject operating a vessel while under the influence. It also led to the apprehension of two subjects operating a vessel recklessly as well as several carriage requirement violations. Air support was also used in this mass enforcement effort.
BURKE COUNTY On June 21st, RFC Jeff Billips and Cpl. Brian Adams patrolled the Savannah River for fishing and boating violations. Several vessels were checked with only minor violations that were dealt with by verbal guidance. Both Rangers also worked fishing without permission complaint off of the Savannah River. No violations were detected.

Region IV- Macon (West Central)
BALDWIN COUNTY On June 23rd, Ranger Matt Johnson conducted a boating safety program for the Baldwin County Junior Deputy Camp.
JONES COUNTY On the afternoon of June 21th, RFC Jeremy Reese responded to a complaint of a fawn whitetail deer having been found deceased. Interviews were conducted and evidence was collected. The incident is still under investigation.
LAKE SINCLAIR On June 28th, Sgt. Bo Kelly, RFC Jeremy Reese, and Ranger Matt Johnson patrolled Lake Sinclair. Numerous boats were stopped and several citations were issued including operating above idle speed within 100' of objects, towing skier without observer, and failure to obey regulatory markers. Later that evening, one boater was arrested for boating under the influence and transported to Putnam County Jail.
Region V- Albany (Southwest)
CRISP COUNTY On June 27th, Sgt. Al Greer, Cpl. Bob Holley, Cpl. Clint Martin and Ranger Jay Lewis responded to the report of a drowning at the beach area of Georgia Veteran's State Park on Lake Blackshear. Upon arrival they learned that an individual had been swimming outside the boundary of the swimming area and had disappeared beneath the surface of the water. Cpl. Martin, Sgt. Greer and Cpl. Holley then responded by patrol vessel to the area where the victim was last seen swimming, and began a search of the area with side scan sonar. The victim's body was located, recovered, and released to the Crisp County Coroner's Office.
WORTH COUNTY On the evening of June 24th, Cpl. Greg Wade concluded an investigation into the illegal killing of an alligator. The suspect shot the three foot alligator from his dock, after using fish food to entice it into pistol range. The individual was charged with hunting alligators out of season.
DOUGHERTY COUNTY On June 25th, Cpl. Greg Wade responded to a call in reference to a vessel that had partially sunk on Lake Worth. The vessel began taking on water after the transom failed during a sharp turn. The operator and his two passengers placed their lifejackets on and swam safely to a boat ramp across the river. Cpl. Wade and Cpl. Robbie Griner met the subjects the following morning to assist with the recovery of the vessel. The Rangers determined that the cause of the incident was due to the structural failure of the weakened transom. No one was injured in the incident.

Region VI- Metter (Southeast)
LANIER COUNTY On June 26th, 2015, Ranger First Class Keith McDonald, Corporal Tommy Daughtrey, and Corporal Tim Hutto worked several deer crop damage permit complaints in Lanier. Around 10:30 p.m., Cpl. Hutto observed an individual in his area shining a spotlight out of white pickup truck. Cpl. Hutto initiated a traffic stop on the vehicle and checked the requirements of their crop damage permit. There was a dead doe deer in the bed of the pickup. One citation was issued for violation of a deer kill permit after it was determined there were subjects participating that weren't on the permit.
On June 27th 2015, Corporal Tim Hutto conducted a commercial inspection on a deer processing facility due to complaints. After the inspection, one citation was issued for failure of storage facility operator to tag deer.
IRWIN COUNTY On June 28th 2015, Sergeant James McLaughlin, Corporal Tim Hutto, and RFC Allan Mills assisted the Irwin County Sheriff's Department with a search for an escaped inmate in Ocilla. At around 8:30 p.m., the subject was located and arrested without incident.
DODGE COUNTY On June 26th and 27th, Corporal Dan Stiles and Ranger First Class Allen Mills patrolled boat landings along the Ocmulgee River from Northwest Dodge County to Southeast Telfair County. Six vessels were inspected for safety equipment compliance and nine anglers were checked for license and creel compliance. Verbal guidance was given for minor violations.
Cpl. Stiles and RFC Mills assisted a vessel owner with registration issues and were able to assist the owner with requesting a Hull Identification Number (HIN) for his vessel.
Cpl. Stiles and RFC Mills conducted an after-hours patrol at the Dodge County Public Fishing Area. The officers located a vessel tied to the dock and no one was on the area. RFC Mills used his mobile computer terminal (MCT) to run the vessel registration and locate contact information for the owner. Cpl. Stiles called the phone number and spoke with the vessel owner. The vessel trailer had broken and the owner had left for repairs and would be returning soon. The owner was thankful that the officers had checked on him and his vessel.
LAURENS COUNTY On June 25th, Corporal Dan Stiles conducted a night patrol at the Hugh M. Gillis Public Fishing Area. No illegal activity was detected.
TELFAIR COUNTY On Saturday, June 27, Ranger First Class Rodney Horne investigated a fishing without permission compliant. No arrests have been made at this time.

JEFF DAVIS COUNTY On the night of June 26, Sgt. Chris Moore, Cpl. Kevin Joyce, and RFC Clint Jarriel worked an area in the south end of the county for possible night deer hunting activity. At approximately 11:45 p.m. the Rangers observed a vehicle traveling down the public road and shining a light from the driver's side window. A traffic stop was initiated on the vehicle and a violation was documented for blinding wildlife.
SCREVEN COUNTY On Saturday June 27th, Corporal Mike Wilcox and Corporal Shaymus McNeely patrolled the Savannah River in Screven County from Millers Lake to Burtons Ferry. The patrol was in conjunction with the National Safe Boating Week and Operation Dry Water. The officers checked several boats during the day. One person was arrested and charged with boating under the influence.
BULLOCH COUNTY On June 27th, Corporal Eddie Akins checked several landings along the Ogeechee River in Bulloch County. Cpl. Akins set up at Oliver Bridge Landing to check incoming boats. A total of five boats were checked and three violations were detected and documented. The violations were for fishing without a license (one violation) and operating a vessel without lifejackets (PFD's) (two violations).
PIERCE COUNTY On June 23rd, Ranger Sam Williams responded to a complaint of illegal dumping in the Bristol area. The trash, which contained old lumber, metal roofing, fence wire,
mattresses, and bags of household garbage, was tracked back to an address nearby. After interviewing the property owner where the trash originated, it was determined that he had recently purchased the property and hired two subjects in April to tear down and remove an old out building and other materials on the property. The owner provided the officer with their names, but did not have current addresses or contact information for them. The next day, Ranger Williams and Ranger Judd Sears obtained a phone number of one of the subject's girlfriend. The officers were able to make contact with him to conduct an interview. During the interview, information needed on the second subject was obtained. On June 25th, the officers obtained arrest warrants on both subjects and arrested them after a court appearance on other charges in Ware County. They were both charged with illegal dumping of egregious litter exceeding 500 lbs. or 100 cu. ft.

CHARLTON COUNTY On June 27th, Sergeant Patrick Dupree, Ranger Daniel North, and Ranger Sam Williams conducted a boating safety patrol at Camp Pinkney Boat Landing on the St. Mary's River checking for fishing and boating violations. During the afternoon, several vessels were encountered. Two violations for operating vessel above idle speed w/in 100' of object were documented.
Region VII- Brunswick (Coastal)
No significant activity to report.