DISTRICT 1
Sergeant (Sgt.) Marc Pomroy attended a hunter safety class held at the Lake Linden Sportsman Club. Sgt. Pomroy discussed the role of conservation officers as well as the hunting regulations portion to the 40 attending students.
Conservation Officers (COs) Phil Helminen and Alex VanWagner participated with wardens from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources in a National Law Enforcement Night Out event. Law enforcement agencies from Dickinson, Florence, and Marinette Counties participated in the event. The COs stationed an archery range, where they demonstrated archery safety and instructed kids on shooting.
CO Alex VanWagner and Sgt. Brian Bacon conducted a marine patrol on Fortune Lake in Iron County as there was an event held focusing on educating the public about aquatic invasive species (AIS). Citations were issued for failing to provide a personal floatation device (PFD) and operating an unregistered watercraft.
CO Shannon Kritz attended two National Night Out events which were hosted by the Menominee County Sheriff’s Department and Hannahville Indian Community. The event is a community-building campaign that promotes strong partnerships between law enforcement, emergency responders, and the citizens they serve. Citizens had the opportunity to observe various first responder equipment and vehicles.
CO Shannon Kritz responded to a medical call involving an elderly male who was found unresponsive with shallow breathing in his home. CO Kritz was the second first responder on the scene. The male appeared to have suffered a fall resulting in blood loss. The victim was stabilized and transported to the hospital by EMS.
COs Jeremy Sergey and Jackson Kelly responded to a report of hikers blowing an emergency whistle somewhere on Hogback Mountain in Marquette County. The COs, along with the Marquette County Sheriff's Department, developed a search plan and began searching for the hikers. The COs hiked up Hogback Mountain and located the hikers, who had gotten separated while going off-trail. All individuals were safe and made it back to the trailhead.
DISTRICT 2
COs Brandon Maki and Andrea Dani assisted the United States Forest Service (USFS), Alger County Sheriff’s Department, Rescue 21 Team, and Michigan State Police (MSP) with the search for a 16-year-old male. The juvenile was reported missing when his vehicle was located unattended at the Forest Lake boat launch and his boat was found adrift in the lake. After several hours of searching the area, the deceased juvenile was located in the lake. CO Maki transported divers to the location who were able to recover the subject.
While off duty at his residence, CO Robert Freeborn received a call from the local police department regarding a lost boater on the Manistique River. Upon gathering the possible location of the subject, CO Freeborn returned to work to assist the MSP and local sheriff’s department. As CO Freeborn was enroute to the area, he learned that the missing boater was in a paddle boat and became separated from the rest of their party. At approximately 11:30 PM, the boater was found in good condition and was returned to his friends.
COs Chris Lynch and Steve Butzin conducted several marine safety and aquatic invasive species patrols on inland lakes in Delta County. Several contacts were made, and one citation was issued to an angler for fishing without a license.
CO Todd Sumbera was patrolling the St Mary’s River when he observed a pontoon boat with multiple occupants fishing. CO Sumbera observed a lady fishing and even observed her attempt to set the hook while fishing. As CO Sumbera approached, she set her fishing rod down and took a seat in the back of the vessel. CO Sumbera asked to see everyone’s fishing license. The individual who set their pole down claimed she was assisting her kids. After CO Sumbera explained that he had observed her fishing for several minutes. CO Sumbera asked to see the fishing rod used by the individual and her son stated, “Mom you used both of these rods.” A citation was issued for fishing without a license.
CO Todd Sumbera and Sgt. Calvin Smith came across a boat that was operating in one of the small bays along Drummond Island. The vessel was displaying a registration from 1983. A stop was made on the boat and CO Sumbera explained the reason for the stop to the boat operator. The man replied, “Its registered, my wife forgot all the registration decals back at our home.” CO Sumbera asked the man again if he was sure the boat was registered and he replied, “Yes, till 2023.” A quick check through Station 20 found that the vessel was indeed expired and had been for many years. A citation was issued for operating a motorboat with an expired registration.
CO Cole VanOosten was on patrol in northern Luce County when a small pickup truck passed him with five individuals in the bed seated in lawn chairs. As CO VanOosten watched, he observed a beer can get thrown from the vehicle and land in a mud puddle. Upon contact CO VanOosten determined that a small child was riding in the back of the pickup truck, despite having a child seat properly fastened inside the vehicle. The driver admitted to throwing the beer can out the window upon seeing the CO. A citation was issued to the driver for litter and the child was safely fastened into the child seat inside.
DISTRICT 3
CO Nathan Beelman was off duty at his residence when he received a call about a seagull in Boyne City that was wrapped up in fishing line and unable to fly. CO Beelman responded to the area and with the help of a passerby was able to cut the line free of the seagull’s wing and remove a hook that was stuck in the seagull’s feathers. The seagull was released without incident and without any permanent injuries.
CO Adam LeClerc assisted with a roll-over traffic accident near Carp Lake. CO LeClerc was the first law enforcement officer on scene and assisted with rerouting traffic off US 31 through the town of Carp Lake. The highway was shut down for over an hour until the wrecked vehicles could be removed from the roadway.
CO Adam LeClerc concluded a two-month long investigation into the destruction of property at the Oden State Fish Hatchery. Through review of surveillance equipment, multiple suspects were identified. In total, five juvenile suspects were identified and interviewed with their parents/guardian. Charges have been sought through the Emmet County Prosecutor’s Office.
CO Adam LeClerc responded to a brush fire in the Alanson area. There were no burn permits being issued on that day and the fire had jumped from the burning area into nearby uncut grass. The fire began to spread toward the house and got close enough to start melting the vinyl siding. A ticket was issued for burning without a burn permit. A warning was also issued for allowing the fire to escape.
CO Kyle Cherry was fueling his patrol truck at a gas station in Otsego County when he observed a man slumped down on the sidewalk with his head in his chest. Fearing a possible medical emergency, CO Cherry approached the man. The man woke up and CO Cherry observed the muzzle of a handgun sticking out of his belt. When asked if he had a permit to carry the handgun or if he should be in possession of the handgun the man stated, “No.” CO Cherry detained the man and started to investigate. During the investigation, CO Cherry located a second handgun on the man. It was discovered that the man was a convicted felon and could not possess firearms and at least one of the handguns was stolen. Additionally, CO Cherry located multiple bags of methamphetamine on the man. Assisting officers also located a homemade explosive device containing gunpowder and screws in the man’s motorcycle. CO Cherry arrested the man who was charged with six felonies and a misdemeanor.
CO Tom Oberg attended a hunter safety class at Northland Sportsman Club in Gaylord. CO Oberg talked with the students regarding what a Michigan conservation officer does and went over many of the laws that will pertain to them when they are out hunting, fishing, and recreating. CO Oberg also explained the importance of safety when enjoying all those activities.
COs Tom Oberg and Kyle Cherry responded to a large brush fire along I-75 just south of Vanderbilt. The COs assisted with traffic control and closed off one of the lanes of travel while fire crews worked on extinguishing the fire.
CO Tim Rosochacki received a phone call requesting assistance from a Tuscarora Township police officer, who was responding to a call regarding a juvenile who captured a live duckling at a local beach. Upon arrival, the duckling was located inside the mother’s vehicle. The juvenile had walked away from the scene, refusing to talk to the officers. After discussion with the mother, it was determined they had intended to take the duckling home with them. CO Rosochacki returned the duckling back to its mother. A report was completed and submitted to the Cheboygan County Prosecutor’s Office.
COs Dan Liestenfeltz and Sidney Collins were patrolling the Decheau Lake area in Montmorency County when they contacted several subjects camping on state land. There were numerous violations such as camping without a permit, growing marijuana on state land, as well as a large amount of litter and debris scattered in the area. After talking with the subjects, it was determined that two of them had warrants for their arrest out of Oscoda County. The COs arrested both subjects and transported them to the Oscoda County Jail. Warnings were issued for the state land violations.
CO Dan Liestenfeltz assisted the Montmorency County Sheriff’s Department with a lengthy case involving the breaking and entering of residences and businesses as well as poaching activities in Albert Township. Many patrols were conducted to catch the suspects. Then CO Liestenfeltz assisted the sheriff’s department with a search warrant related to the above crimes. A large quantity of stolen property was recovered including firearms, ammunition, ORVs, and tools. CO Liestenfeltz conducted several interviews with the suspects regarding the poaching activities. Numerous charges have been requested through the Montmorency County Prosecutor’s Office.
CO Jon Sheppard noticed a man on foot in the woods while patrolling the Devils Lake area. CO Sheppard approached the subject and discovered that he was in the act of tending a bear bait. He advised the subject that he was starting his bait over a week early. CO Sheppard issued a ticket for tending bear bait prior to 31 days before the start of bear season.
CO Jon Sheppard continues to work joint patrols with National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration officers on Lake Huron. These patrols are a group effort to monitor diving activity on all the shipwreck sites through the Thunder Bay region. Numerous antiquities are still present on most of these wrecks and are a valuable resource to protect.
DISTRICT 4
COs Logan Turner and Will Kinney responded to a report of a capsized vessel and two people in the water on Ellis Lake in Grand Traverse County. On arrival, a local marine rescue boat had just launched, and CO Turner jumped on the boat with the rescue team to help locate the capsized vessel. Both individuals, who were in their 70’s, were holding onto the side of the boat and had PFDs on. They could not move from where they had capsized due to the lily pads and being entangled in their fishing line. CO Turner and the rescue team were able to pull the two individuals out of the water and tow their boat back to shore where emergency medical services (EMS) had staged.
While conducting an ORV patrol in Benzie County, CO Patrick McManus checked a problem area on state land where trucks and ORVs have eroded a large hillside. CO McManus noticed a truck parked at the top of the hill, as well as a tent set up in front of the vehicle and several people sitting around a campfire. CO McManus contacted the group from the other side of the hill by hiking into their location from the roadway. The individuals at the campsite claimed they were unaware of any rules pertaining to off road travel and believed, since it was public land, they could drive anywhere they wanted. After further discussion with the group, CO McManus issued several citations related to the location of the vehicle, cutting down live trees and vegetation, and litter. CO McManus also gave several verbal warnings and had the group move the vehicle to an appropriate parking area and was assured this would not happen again in the future.
CO Richard Stowe worked a joint enforcement patrol with the United States Coast Guard (USCG) on Betsie Lake in response to complaints of vessels operating above the slow no wake requirement.
CO Scott MacNeill was working stationary patrol near the channel that connects Portage Lake and Lake Michigan in Manistee over the weekend after receiving several complaints of reckless boating in the area. During the patrol, CO MacNeill observed dozens of subjects violating the “slow no wake” in the channel. Multiple citations were issued to vessels who were throwing large wakes and even some that were fully on plane.
CO Josiah Killingbeck, while on marine patrol in Lake County, observed a subject fishing from shore. CO Killingbeck contacted the subject and determined the subject was fishing without a license. The subject advised CO Killingbeck that he had fished this lake for years and as he had never seen a CO on the lake, did not worry about obtaining a fishing license. A citation was issued for the violation.
CO Josiah Killingbeck and Sgt. Grant Emery assisted at the 2022 bear hunting clinic held at the Carl T. Johnson Center in Cadillac. The COs reported a large turnout of successful applicants for the 2022 bear hunting season.
COs Ben Shively and Jeff Ginn were patrolling state land in Newaygo County and found a vehicle parked at the end of a dead-end road. Upon checking the license plate, it was found the registered owner had two warrants for her arrest and a bond of over $14,000. The COs walked down to the river and were able to locate the subject, who was taken into custody and transported to Montcalm County on the warrants.
COs Ben Shively and Jeff Ginn were on foot patrol utilizing night vision at Croton Dam when they observed one subject place a bucket into a vehicle. The COs contacted the group and discovered they were fishing illegally on an inland body of water with cast nets and in possession of a large bag of fish, including undersized rainbow and brown trout, smallmouth bass, and suckers. No one in the group had a valid fishing license. The subjects were cited for fishing without a license and taking fish by illegal method (with a cast net).
CO Ben Shively and Oceana County Deputy Jeremy Swihart doubled up to check a camp on federal land for a subject with a parole absconder warrant, simple assault warrant, and Friend of the Court (FOC) warrant. They were able to locate the camp hidden in the woods and heard a generator running. They located a vehicle parked near the camper and surprised the male suspect who was sitting in the truck. The suspect was taken into custody without incident.
CO Tim Barboza responded to a Report all Poaching complaint of a large group on the Muskegon River near Croton Dam that were spearing fish and cooking them over a fire along the riverbank. CO Barboza patrolled to the location and observed two males in the river with spears. He drove to the other side of the river and walked down the hill to the two males. As CO Barboza approached, he saw a third male exit the river on the opposite side holding a spear. CO Barboza identified the two males still in the water, secured the bag of fish they had speared, and asked how many people were in the group. Then he advised them to return to the group and he would be over to talk with everyone and to leave everything where it is. CO Barboza contacted a group of seven to eight individuals and began to ask who the third male with the spear was. After a few minutes of trying to deny another person with a spear, one member of the group admitted it was him. CO Barboza seized one walleye, seven rock bass, four suckers, one perch, and one bluegill from the group, along with four spears and seven spear heads. One of the males with a spear was a minor and received a warning. The other two males were issued citations and dates to appear in court.
DISTRICT 5
CO Casey Pullum was on patrol when he noticed a local bear hunter who uses dogs drive past his location. Having knowledge of early bear baits in the area, CO Pullum tracked the hunter. He followed fresh vehicle tracks in the road which was recently wet from rain. CO Pullum located the truck parked alongside the road on federal land. A few minutes later, CO Pullum noticed someone walking through the woods and carrying a bucket. As soon as the subject could see CO Pullum’s patrol truck he stopped, backed up, and set the bucket down. CO Pullum called out to the hunter, “Don’t hide that bucket!” The hunter replied “Awe, you got me.” The hunter took CO Pullum to the bear bait that was established greater than 31 days prior to the season. A citation was issued for the illegal bear bait.
COs from District 5 patrolled the annual AuSable River Canoe Marathon in Crawford, Oscoda, Alcona, and Iosco Counties. The COs provided crowd control at the start of the race and along bridge crossings in Crawford and Oscoda Counties as well as on the water patrols in Alcona and Iosco Counties. The race begins at 8:00 PM on Saturday and the winners will typically finish in the early afternoon on Sunday. The event was successful, and all contestants safely completed the race.
DISTRICT 6
While on patrol in Montcalm County, COs Mike Haas and Paul Lyden came across multiple anglers fishing the Greenville Dam. CO Lyden watched one group of anglers while CO Haas approached the others. One of the anglers noticed CO Haas across the river and used profanity as he quickly reeled in his line. Unfortunately for the angler, CO Lyden was standing right above him watching the entire time. The angler was cited for failure to exhibit a fishing license.
While on ORV patrol at the Rush Lake State Game Area (SGA), CO Matthew Neterer observed an ORV operator with no helmet and an expired ORV registration leave the trail and climb a nearby sand hill. When CO Neterer contacted the operator, he stated that he had borrowed the machine from a relative and was not familiar with the rules. The subject went on to say that there should really be more signs in the area. CO Neterer pointed out the “closed to motorized vehicles” sign that the rider passed on his way up the hill. CO Neterer issued a citation for failing to wear a helmet on an ORV.
CO Mike Eovaldi was conducting a marine patrol on Murphy Lake in Tuscola County when he contacted two individuals fishing in a rowboat. One angler stated she had a fishing license but did not have it on her. Upon further investigation, it was determined the female angler did not have a fishing license. The couple was also found to be without two PFDs. The man was given a citation for failure to provide a PFD as required by state law and the woman was given a warning for fishing without a fishing license. In the same patrol, CO Eovaldi observed a male operating a personal watercraft without a PFD. The operator was contacted and stated he was not wearing his PFD because it was too small. The operator was issued a citation.
While checking activity around Littlefield Lake in Isabella County, CO Mike Haas witnessed an individual operating an ORV down the middle of a roadway without a required crash helmet. There were also two young children riding on parts of the ORV not designed to carry passengers, and they lacked helmets. A traffic stop was carried out and the multiple safety violations were addressed. A citation was issued, and the group was escorted home to ensure they got back safely.
CO Mike Haas received a complaint regarding illegal use of the Flat River SGA shooting range. The complainant stated that there was shooting on the range after hours and the range users were also violating the single shot and rapid-fire rules. CO Haas arrived and contacted many individuals on the range and witnessed them all violating various range rules. Numerous citations were issued.
DISTRICT 7
While patrolling Kalamazoo County, CO James Nason came up on a group of anglers fishing on a body of water in the City of Kalamazoo. One of the subjects presented CO Nason with another person’s fishing license. Upon further investigation, CO Nason discovered the man did not have a fishing license for the 2022 season, and had a felony warrant for OWI-3rd offense. With assistance from COs Richard Cardenas and Joshua Salas, the subject was taken into custody and lodged in the Kalamazoo County Jail. CO Nason issued the man citations for fishing without a license and possessing/attempting to use another’s license.
COs Joshua Salas and Cameron Wright were on patrol in Kalamazoo County when they were checking anglers at a local park. Upon checking the anglers, the COs learned one of the individuals was lying about his name and did not have a fishing license. The COs informed the individual that he would be given one more chance to provide his name or he would be placed under arrest. The individual failed to comply with the CO’s commands and fled on foot from the scene. With the assistance of the Portage Department of Public Safety, he was apprehended, and charges will be submitted to the Kalamazoo County Prosecutor’s Office for review.
CO Joshua Salas was working at Holland State Park when he was contacted by the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Department about a potential domestic violence situation occurring on the beach. CO Salas responded to the beach and assisted the sheriff’s department with family and witness interviews. The suspect was arrested, and charges will be filed with the Ottawa County Prosecutor’s Office.
COs Travis Dragomer, Cameron Wright, and Matt Page conducted a group marine patrol on Lake Michigan. One citation was written for fishing with more than three lines and another citation was issued to the operator of a vessel who had a child less than six years old on board who was not wearing a PFD. Multiple other warnings were given.
COs Travis Dragomer and Jeff Robinette conducted a group marine patrol on Lake Michigan. The COs responded to two separate boats that had overturned on Lake Michigan. COs Dragomer and Robinette also observed a vessel operating at a high speed with multiple people on the bow of the boat and one person hanging off the front of the boat. A citation was issued to the operator for allowing bow riding.
CO Cameron Wright was patrolling St. Joseph County when he observed a side-by-side ORV drive past his location at an oddly slow speed, swerving along the roadway. CO Wright also noticed the ORV was not licensed, and the operator was not wearing his seatbelt as required. CO Wright conducted a traffic stop on the ORV and immediately detected the odor of intoxicants coming from the driver. The operator was struggling to simply sit up straight without swaying. CO Wright attempted to have the operator perform field sobriety tests, but the operator was unable to stand without falling over. The operator agreed to submit to a preliminary breath test, which showed a blood alcohol content three times the illegal limit. The subject was arrested, and charges will be sought for OWI-3rd offense (felony) and operating an ORV on a revoked license.
District 7, 8, and 4 additional COs worked multiple shifts at Grand Haven State Park over the US Coast Guard Festival weekend in Grand Haven. Over 2,000 contacts were made with the public visiting the state park. Nine citations were issued for alcohol and drug related offenses, while 38 warnings were given. District COs along with the department’s Great Lakes Enforcement Unit assisted with on the water marine safety patrol and city fireworks safety zone enforcement.
DISTRICT 8
Sgt. Jason J. Smith conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle that had an unsecured load. Sgt. Smith contacted the driver and informed him that he was about to lose the cranberry juice in the back of his truck. The driver, after putting items in the back of his truck, never closed his tailgate. The driver was very thankful.
CO Ed Rice responded to a boating accident resulting in a fatality. The operator and observer, towing a banana-boat with 12 passengers, did not see one of the passengers fall off. Upon circling back to pick up three other passengers, who had fallen off in the same area, a fourth passenger was struck by the vessel resulting in fatal injuries. The investigation is ongoing.
CO Kevin Bunce was launching his patrol boat on Duck Lake when he was approached by a couple who stated their vessel began to take on water after being launched from their trailer. The boat had nearly three inches of water in it. CO Bunce helped the couple extract the boat and discovered they had failed to put the boat’s plug in prior to launching.
COs Kevin Bunce and Marc Mankowski were on patrol in Clinton County when they received an anonymous tip of a rabbit that had been caught on an unattended line baited with corn in an individual’s back yard. It was discovered a subject had seen a TikTok trend on unorthodox trapping techniques and wanted to give it a try. The subject was educated on hunting/fishing/trapping techniques as well as season dates. The rabbit was released back into the wild without incident.
CO Marc Mankowski ran the DNR laser shot trailer at the Fowler Conservation Club Youth Outdoors Day. Eighty-eight kids showed up which they believe was a record for their club and the DNR station was said to be a crowd favorite.
DISTRICT 9
Monitoring speed with the use of radar, CO Dan Walzak conducted a traffic stop on a subject who was exceeding the posted speed limit. The vehicle stood out because it was travelling over twice the speed limit. When told the reason for the stop, the driver stated that she thought the speed limit was 35 or 40 mph. CO Walzak made it clear to the driver that the speed limit is 25 mph and, even if it was what she thought it was, at 58 mph she was still well over the speed limit. The driver received a citation for her speed.
CO Cody Bourgeois was patrolling in the Ortonville SGA when he observed a group of ORV riders coming down the road toward him. When the group noticed the CO’s truck, they immediately stopped and tried to turn around and head in the opposite direction. However, one of the individuals stalled out their machine and could not complete the turn. CO Bourgeois quickly noticed these actions and the fact that two of the individuals were not wearing helmets. CO Bourgeois initiated his lights and siren and caught up to the group. When contacting the group CO Bourgeois noticed that on top of not wearing their helmets, the two individuals also did not have ORV licenses on their ORVs. CO Bourgeois cited the two individuals for not wearing a helmet while operating an ORV and failure to license their ORVs.
CO Luke Robare attended the Genesee County Sheriff’s Department (GCSD) roll call on Thursday and briefed some of the deputies on ORV rules and regulations. Flint City is becoming a hot spot for ORV activity and the GCSD was seeking guidance for enforcement action to try and decrease the amount of ORV traffic in the city.
Sgt. Jason Becker received a call from the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office (OCSO) that there was a suicidal subject missing in Highland Recreation Area. Sgt. Becker responded to assist the OCSO Search and Rescue team comb the area. After searching for several hours with the assistance of park staff, the White Lake police, and OCSO K9 team, the missing subject was found deceased.
CO Robert Watson patrolled the St. Clair River for marine and fishing activity. Two different boats were contacted that were in possession of short walleye. One boat had a 14-inch walleye, the other boat had a 14 inch, and two 14.5-inch walleye. Both anglers were cited for taking an undersized walleye.
COs Robert Watson and Sydney Griffor were assisted by US Border Patrol BORTAC and BORSTAR agents in extracting two ORVs which had been driven deep into the Port Huron SGA and throughout the Black River. One suspect’s ORV had flooded out due to high water and the operators of the ORVs required an air lift to be removed from the game area. Upon investigation, one of the ORVs was discovered to be stolen. The second ORV is still under investigation due to the vehicle identification number being removed/defaced. The investigation is ongoing.
CO Nicholas Ingersoll was patrolling Lake Erie when he observed a vessel with two anglers trolling with six rods. After watching the vessel from a distance, CO Ingersoll observed one of the anglers fishing with a rod in his hand, bringing the total number of poles on the boat for two anglers to seven rods. CO Ingersoll contacted the vessel and spoke with the anglers, the anglers admitting to having an over-limit of rods. They stated that they had seaweed on one of the rods and wanted to throw an extra out. CO Ingersoll advised them they should have cleaned the seaweed off the rod instead of utilizing a seventh rod. CO Ingersoll issued the angler a citation for fishing with more than three lines.
CO David Schaumburger was running radar on Belle Isle when a vehicle passed him, inches from his door, at a high rate of speed. CO Schaumburger tracked the vehicle doing 53 mph and conducted a traffic stop. The driver of the vehicle said that he could not have been speeding because his radar tracking unit did not alert him. CO Schaumburger let him know that he does not let his radar continually run and only used the radar for a few seconds when he passed the CO. The driver was cited for driving 53 mph in a 25 mph zone.
CO David Schaumburger stopped two 17-year old’s driving down Central Avenue on Belle Isle. They were driving as part of a careless wedding procession. The driver and front seat passenger had their butts on each of their windowsills, hanging the upper half of their bodies out the window. While also hanging out of the car, the vehicle was traveling at 63 mph. Citations were issued for careless driving and for violating the safety belt law.
While working on Belle Isle and monitoring speed on Central Avenue, CO Dan Walzak observed a vehicle travelling the wrong way on Central Avenue. CO Walzak was able to get the vehicle stopped very quickly and asked the driver where he was going. The driver stated that he was heading to the bridge to leave the island. When told that he was driving the wrong way on a one-way street, the driver stated that he had not seen any traffic signs indicating that it was one way. CO Walzak pointed over his shoulder and the driver saw a one-way sign pointed in the direction opposite of which he was travelling. CO Walzak also issued the driver a citation for driving the wrong way on a one-way road.
While working Belle Isle, Sgt. Jason Becker observed a man who was on the ground on the bike path with his bicycle near him. Sgt. Becker came over to the man to check for injuries and noticed that he was trying to reattach his prosthetic leg. Sgt Becker and some good Samaritans helped the man up after he reattached his prosthetic. The man stated that he was riding his bicycle and his prosthetic leg fell off. He said that he came to a stop and lowered himself to the ground to retrieve the prosthetic. Although he had no injuries, he appeared to be exhausted from the heat. Sgt. Becker assisted the man back to his nearby residence.
While on a Belle Isle shift, CO Kris Kiel was patrolling across the MacArthur Bridge when he observed two people standing on the bridge in a tight embrace. One subject motioned CO Kiel to come over there. After speaking with the two subjects, CO Kiel was able to ascertain that the subject who waved him over was riding his bicycle across the bridge when he noticed the other subject about to jump from the bridge into the Detroit River. He stopped and grabbed the subject and just hugged him. CO Kiel was able to calm him down and walk him off the bridge, back to his vehicle, where an ambulance was waiting.
CO Mike Drexler worked a weekend afternoon Belle Isle shift. Two parking citations were issued for illegal parking at the beach area. CO Drexler also responded to a verbal domestic. The couple decided to separate for the evening.
CO Nicholas Ingersoll was patrolling on Belle Isle when he observed a Dodge Challenger disregard a stop sign at Central and Vista Avenues. CO Ingersoll attempted to stop the vehicle when it accelerated to approximately 40 mph in a 25-mph zone and disregard CO Ingersoll’s lights and siren. The driver eventually was stopped on the MacArthur Bridge and was asked to step out of the vehicle. The driver failed to follow CO Ingersoll’s commands. CO Ingersoll was eventually assisted by CO Walzak and MSP troopers from the Metro South Post. After the officers talked to the driver, who was not cooperating for approximately 11 minutes, the driver finally stepped out of the vehicle. The driver was placed under arrest for flee and elude and resisting and obstructing an officer. The driver was lodged at the Detroit Detention Center and charges were submitted to the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office for review.
ENVIRONMENTAL INVESTIGATIONS SECTION (EIS)
Detectives from the Environmental Investigations Section (EIS) reported the restoration of a wetland and misdemeanor conviction of a 62-year-old Oakland County resident. The complaint began on October 22, 2020, with a referral from a Michigan Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) Water Resource Division (WRD) employee. In March of 2020 WRD had received a complaint of unauthorized wetland fill in White Lake. WRD had been dealing with the property owner and the wetland on his property for many years. In September of 2020 WRD executed an administrative search of the property and confirmed the complaint. A violation notice was sent to the property owner in October, to which no reply was made. In December, EIS inspected the property with WRD and found that no restoration had been done as directed in the violation notice. On May 12, 2021, the property owner was charged with unauthorized filling of a wetland, a second offense felony, due to a previous conviction of the same in 2012. After multiple court appearances and hearings, a plea was reached on April 12, 2022. The property owner plead guilty to unauthorized filling of a wetland, first offense misdemeanor, and was ordered to restore the wetland to EGLE/WRD satisfaction by August 1, 2022. An inspection of the site by WRD on July 21, 2022, confirmed the wetlands had been restored. Sentencing was held on August 9, 2022, where the property owner was ordered to pay a total of $2500 in fines and costs.
GREAT LAKES ENFORCEMENT UNIT (GLEU)
Corporals (Cpl.) Craig Milkowski, Nick Atkin, Patrick Hartsig, Troy VanGelderen, and Lt. Michael Feagan assisted with the continued recovery effort of the Tuskegee aircraft in southern Lake Huron. LED is supplying vessels for diver deployment and artifact recovery.
Cpl. Tom Peterson and CO Byron Parks conducted a marine safety patrol in the Keweenaw Bay, Huron Bay, Huron Islands, Big Bay, and Stannard Rock. Multiple warnings were issued to sport anglers for failing to provide their fishing licenses. One marine safety stop was made when a 16 ft. vessel was encountered in Portage Lake traveling at a slow rate of speed. The vessel had seven passengers, five of which were children, two had been riding on the bow of the boat and two others under six years old were not wearing PFDs. Due to the low rate of speed, the contact was used to educate the boaters on laws surrounding PFDs and children as well as proper places to ride in a vessel safely.
Cpl. Mike Hammill assisted the Delta County Search and Rescue Team in looking for an Autistic man that had walked into the woods behind his residence. Foot patrol for several hours turned up nothing, eventually the man walked out into an area where he was found and reunited with his family.
Cpl. Mike Hammill responded to a complaint of trucks and ORVs ripping up and down the Lake Michigan shoreline. Cpl. Hammill contacted the group of individuals while camping on their own lands. Multiple verbal warnings and citations were issued for the various ORV violations.
