Print – Plain Text – Permalink

News Release
General Media Contact: Business Hours, 512-389-4406

Aug. 8, 2005

TPWD Game Warden Field Notes

The following are excerpts from recent Texas Parks and Wildlife Department law enforcement reports.

Heroic Effort – A Madison County Game Warden was traveling east on State Highway 30 in eastern Brazos County recently and as he neared the Navasota River he observed a vehicle on fire off in a field near the highway. A subject was walking around the van acting strange. The warden tried to talk him away from the van. The subject avoided the warden. The subject kept saying he was going to kill himself as he circled the burning van. The subject suddenly jumped into the burning van through the opened side door. The warden rushed to the open door, grabbed the subject’s leg and pulled him from the burning van. The subject was suffering from severe burns to his head, chest, arms and legs. The warden was not injured.

On the Job

• Game Wardens caught a shrimper in Galveston Bay with his Turtle Excluder Device and his Bycatch Reduction Device tied shut. About 365 pounds of shrimp were confiscated and sold. The TED case was documented and will be turned over to the National Marine Fisheries Law Enforcement Division in Galveston.
• Jefferson and Orange County Game Wardens received a call about two boats shrimping in Texas before the season opened. The captains were arrested and 4,000 pounds of shrimp were confiscated and sold for $7,398.
• A Game Warden was patrolling the Rio Grande River and associated canals when he observed two males sneaking away from a canal where a vehicle was parked. After the dust had settled and the chase was over, he and the U.S. Border Patrol had captured three male suspects and confiscated 228 pounds of marijuana that was being backpacked in.

Broadcasting Your Crimes?

• A Franklin County Game Warden worked a case on a lady offering to sell an American alligator. The warden had received information that a Franklin County resident was advertising the alligator in the Thrifty Nickel newspaper. After a short conversation with the lady at her home, several cases were filed for possession and sale of the gator. She was attempting to sell it for $150.
• A Harris County Game Warden answered a complaint regarding illegal sale of raccoons in Northeast Houston. The suspect was advertising the sale of wild hog meat with signs on his van, but after inspecting his freezer it was discovered that he had hidden 17 processed raccoons. The suspect did not have a trapper’s license and gave a written confession of the offense. Case pending.

Helping Hands – Garza County Game Warden Benjie Smith, along with the Post Masonic Lodge organized a Kidfish event in Post. Approximately 65 children from foster homes in the Lubbock area participated. The kids enjoyed a morning of fishing and a hot dog lunch. Other game wardens attending were Andy Carr, Brent Satsky, Mel Reed, Randy Bullard, Ted Davey and Captain Rick Gully.

2005-08-08