Field operations weekly report, 2017 June 17

Field Operations
Weekly Report June 11th June 17th, 2017
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- Acworth (Northwest)
CHATTOOGA COUNTY On June 12th, RFC Roger McConkey travelled from Chattooga County to the Georgia Public Safety Training Center in Forsyth, Georgia for aviation training. RFC McConkey is an aerial observer for the aviation unit. His training and skills will be used during search and rescues throughout the state.
FLOYD COUNTY On June 17th, Cpl. Shawn Elmore patrolled the Etowah River. Due to good weather, people were out enjoying the river in rafts, tubes, kayaks, and vessels. He checked 151 rafts and vessels and found some people without the required life jackets. Several were issued citations and encouraged to take their water safety seriously when on the river.
GILMER COUNTY On June 17th at approximately 1430 hours Cpl. Casey Jones and RFC Mark Moyer responded to a reported plane crash on Carters Lake. The incident resulted in no injuries and the rangers assisted the pilot taxiing his plane off the lake.
BARTOW COUNTY On June 11th, Cpl. Byron Young and Bartow County Deputy Pam Ploof patrolled Allatoona Lake. The Officers observed two males on a PWC without PFD's near Red Top Mt State Park. The passenger on the PWC was holding an open Budweiser beer can. As the Officers approached the passenger threw the beer can into the lake. The operator was found to be under the influence of alcohol and arrested for BUI. He was also charged with operating a PWC without a PFD. The passenger was issued a citation for littering.
On June 11th, Sgt. Jason Roberson and Intern Garrett Pownall stopped a vessel for a no wake zone violation on Allatoona Lake. The operator was found to be under the influence of alcohol. The operator was placed under arrest for BUI and failure to obey regulatory marker.
On June 13th, RFC Zack Hardy and RFC Mark Puig patrolled Allatoona Lake. The Wardens checked 15 boats and 22 fishing license. The Wardens issued 5 citations for PFD violations and towing a skier without an observer. On June 15th, RFC Zack hardy responded to a suicide call on Red Top Mt. State Park. The body of a 54 year old male was found near the Webster's Day Use area. The apparent cause of death was self-inflicted.
On June 16th, Cpl. Bart Hendrix and RFC Mark Puig patrolled Allatoona Lake. The Wardens stopped a pontoon with improper lights. The operator was found to be under the influence of alcohol. There were several children onboard. The operator was placed under arrest for BUI and Child Endangerment.
On June 17th, RFC Zack Hardy and Bartow County Deputy Sgt. Jonathan Rogers stopped a PWC in area of Allatoona Landing on Allatoona Lake. The PWC was operating reckless and spraying another vessel. The Operator was found to be under the influence of alcohol. The operator was arrested for BUI and operating PWC above 5 mph within 100 foot object in water. It was discovered that the subject was on also on felony probation.
On June 17th, just after sunset RFC Zack Hardy and Bartow County Deputy Sgt. Jonathan Rogers stopped pontoon near Park Marina on Allatoona Lake. The pontoon was traveling with improper lights. The operator was found to be under the influence of alcohol. The operator was placed under arrest for BUI.
CHEROKEE COUNY On June 11th, Sgt. Jason Roberson and Intern Garrett Pownall stopped a vessel for a rules of the road violation near Harbor Town Marina on Allatoona Lake. The operator was found to be under the influence of alcohol. The operator was placed under arrest for BUI and violation of the rules of the road.

FULTON COUNTY On June 16th, RFC Mark Puig attended the "Family Day" for GEMA Employees. RFC Puig ran the Georgia DNR LED shooting and fishing simulator for the families to enjoy.
Region II- Gainesville (Northeast)
HABERSHAM COUNTY On June 11th, Cpl. Anne Wiley and RFC Joe Hill conducted a boating safety check at the canoe launch on Buck Shoals State Park. The Game Wardens checked over a dozen kayaks and inflatable vessels. Six warnings were issued for operating a vessel without CGA PFD's, five citations were issued for operating a vessel without CGA PFD's, and one subject was arrested and warrants secured for VGCSA marijuana less than one ounce and operating a vessel without CGA PFD's. Verbal guidance was given to several subjects for not paying the required park pass fee.
RABUN COUNTY On June 11th, RFC Joe Hill and Rabun County Deputy John Presti conducted a boating safety patrol on Lake Rabun. The Game Warden and Deputy checked several vessels and issued warnings for operating PWC without wearing CGA PFD and operating vessel without throwable device. One citation was issued for allowing underage child to ride in moving vessel without wearing PFD.
On June 12, Cpl. Anne Wiley and college intern Noah Osborne patrolled the Tallulah Gorge State Park. Several boats and fishing licenses were inspected. One adult male was warned for fishing without a license and was found to have warrants from three other counties in Georgia. During the arrest, he was found to be in possession of marijuana on his person. He was arrested and charged for possession of marijuana, less than one ounce.
On June 17th, RFC Joe Hill and Ranger Beth Gilbert conducted two boating safety patrols on Lake Burton. The Game Wardens checked numerous vessels and issued warnings for allowing underage child to ride in moving vessel without wearing PFD, allowing a person to ride bow/gunwale, jumping wake within 100' of another vessel, violation of rules of the road, and 100' rule violation. Citations were issued for creating wake in a no wake zone and towing skier with PWC without an observer on board.
On June 17th, RFC Joe Hill and Ranger Beth Gilbert responded to a request for assistance by the United States Forest Service in reference to digging ginseng out of season on USFS property and VGCSA felony. Upon the Game Warden's arrival they found that USFS LEO's Derik Breedlove and Jeff Angel had detained three subjects. Two of the subjects were arrested for VGCSA felony for possession of methamphetamine and two will be charged numerous ginseng violations in Federal Court.
TOWNS COUNTY On June 17, RFC David Webb and Cpl. Anne Wiley patrolled Lake Chatuge by vessel. Several boats and fishing licenses were inspected. One adult male was warned for towing a skier on a PWC without an observer and for operating a PWC with an expired fire extinguisher.
UNION COUNTY On June 17, Cpl. Kevin Dyer and a DNR Intern patrolled Nottely Lake by vessel. The game warden checked several boats during the boating safety patrol and issued citations, warnings or verbal guidance for: Non-resident fishing without a license and towing a skier / tuber without wearing a personal floatation devices.
On June 18, Cpl. Kevin Dyer and a DNR Intern patrolled Vogel State Park, The Nottely River and Cooper Creek WMA for illegal fishing, boating and state operated lands violations. The game warden checked multiple sportsmen during the patrol and issued citations, warnings or verbal guidance for: Non-resident fishing without a license and fishing without a trout license.

WHITE COUNTY On June 11, Cpl. Anne Wiley patrolled the Chattahoochee Wildlife Management Area with USFS LEO Derik Breedlove. The officers encountered several violations on the area including 3 citations for camping in a "no camping area", 2 citations for possession of marijuana less than an ounce; 1 citation for providing alcohol to a minor; 7 citations for underage consumption of alcohol; and 1 citation for possession of fake identification.
On June 16, Cpl. Anne Wiley, USFS LEOs Derik Breedlove and Jeff Angel patrolled the Chattahoochee Wildlife Management Area. One adult male was arrested for driving under the influence and driving while license was suspended. The adult male was turned over to White County Sheriff's Officer, Cpl. William Garrett for prosecution.

Region III- Thomson (East Central)
COLUMBIA COUNTY / CLARKS HILL LAKE On June 17th and 18th, Cpl. Ryan Swain and Game Warden Michael Madden conducted a concentrated vessel patrol of the middle and upper portions of Clarks Hill Lake. Game Wardens stopped approximately twenty-four vessels during the two-day patrol. Game Wardens documented the following violations; failure to obey regulatory maker, towing skier without mirror/observer, towing skier with PWC without observer on board, failure to meet boating education requirements, allowing a underage person to operate a vessel illegally, allowing underage children to ride in a moving vessel without a PFD and operating overloaded vessel.
On June 17th, Cpl. Ryan Swain and Game Warden Michael Madden assisted a disabled vessel at Trade Winds Marina. Game Wardens attached a rope to the vessel and towed the vessel to their nearby boat slip at Trade Winds Marina. No further action was taken.

Region IV- Macon (West Central)
No activity to report.

Region V- Albany (Southwest)
COLQUITT COUNTY

On June 11th, Cpl. Greg Wade, K9 "Trigg", and RFC Eric White responded to a complaint regarding a group of subjects illegally killing an alligator in a farm pond. The officers were provided images of the subjects posing with the slain alligator, their identities, as well as the location of where the images were taken. The officers interviewed each of the subjects and found 3 of the subjects to be directly involved with incident. The officers charged 1 subject with hunting alligator out of season and the other 2 subjects were issued warnings for unlawful possession of an alligator or parts thereof. The carcass and meat were retrieved and confiscated by the officers. The meat was donated to a less fortunate family in the community and the carcass was placed into evidence and used for training purposes.

Region VI- Metter (Southeast)
BERRIEN COUNTY On June 17th, 2017, Cpl. Tommy Daughtrey was patrolling Paradise PFA when he noticed three subjects sitting on the dock at Horseshoe 3 Lake. A vehicle was parked at the dock with the windows down and the music playing. Cpl. Daughtrey stopped and spoke with the subjects. They stated they were watching the sun set. None of the subjects had a GORP. All of the subjects were drinking out of Styrofoam cups. As Cpl. Daughtrey walked past the subjects' vehicle he noticed two empty Smirnoff glass bottles in the passenger floorboard of the car. Cpl. Daughtrey also saw what appeared to be a small bag of marijuana in the rear floorboard of the vehicle. The male subject with the group admitted that the marijuana belonged to him. All of the subjects were drinking alcohol. As Cpl. Daughtrey walked back to the dock area he noticed a small bag of marijuana floating in the water near the dock where the subjects were sitting. A female in the group admitted that she had put the marijuana in the lake as Cpl. Daughtrey had approached the group. All three subjects were cited for illegal consumption of alcohol on a PFA. Two of the subjects were cited for misdemeanor possession of marijuana.
LAURENS COUNTY On June 16th, Corporal Dan Stiles conducted night patrols and surveillance at locations of crop damage permits. No activity was detected.
On June 17th, Corporal Dan Stiles and Ranger First Class Rodney Horne patrolled several boat landings for boating and fishing activity. Several vessels were checked for registration and boating safety equipment and anglers were checked for license and creel compliance. One citation was issued for fishing without a fishing license.
SCREVEN COUNTY On June 11th Corporal Shaymus McNeely worked boating activity on the Savannah River. Several boaters were contacted for safety checks. The results of the day were one boater was investigated for boating under the influence, and citations were written for operating PWCs within one hundred feet of a bridge.
On June 17th Corporal Shaymus McNeely and Ranger Randell Meeks worked boating and fishing activity on the Savannah River. The Wardens conducted a number of boating safety checks. Additionally the Wardens checked fisherman at multiple locations including Tuckahoe WMA and Poor Robin. Citations were issued for fishing without a license.
BULLOCH COUNTY On June 17th, RFC Jordan Crawford and SGT Brian Hobbins patrolled Bulloch County for fishing activity. During the patrol RFC Crawford and SGT Hobbins checked several fisherman with three violations for fishing without a license documented.
APPLING COUNTY On June 15, 2017 Sergeant Jon Barnard and RFC Bobby Sanders were observing agricultural fields when a vehicle approached shining the fields with a vehicle mounted light from a public roadway. The vehicle was stopped and a loaded AR-15 style rifle was beside the driver. The driver admitted to trying to shoot deer and that he was not on any kind of deer control permit. The driver was charged with hunting deer at night, hunting from a public road, and hunting from a vehicle.
TOOMBS COUNTY On June 11, 2017 RFC Bobby Sanders was observing agricultural fields that were under a deer control permit when a vehicle shined the fields from a public road, in an attempt to locate deer. The vehicle was stopped and the operator was charged with violation of a deer control permit for shining from a public road, not being in possession of the permit while exercising the permit and having an unauthorized assistant in the vehicle.

Region VII- Brunswick (Coastal)
LIBERTY COUNTY On 06/16/2017 at approximately 1245 hours Sgt. Phillip Scott, responded to a call from Liberty County of an alligator being held as a pet. Sgt. Scott arrived on scene and met with a Liberty County Deputy. The Deputy explained to Scott that the complaint was that the neighbors had an alligator in a large white water container on the side of the house, and that a larger alligator got out of the container and bit her dog named Zena. The pit bull, Zena, had its right front leg bandaged up by the owner. The Deputy and Sgt. Scott went over to talk to the people at the neighbor's house, but no one was home. The resident came to the house a little while later and Sgt. Scott met with him there. The resident told Sgt. Scott that he took the alligators from a ditch because he was concerned that they would be hit by a car. He further said that he was only holding them long enough to take them to an area to be released. Sgt. Scott advised him of the laws concerning alligators and other wildlife being held without a permit. The alligators were seized and the resident was cited for the violation. The alligators were released in a remote area.