| Probable cause affidavit: |
SUBMITTED BY: CREEL, JUSTIN 0661 (AR11120312) THE DEFENDANT IS IN VIOLATION OF FLORIDA STATE STATUTE NUMBER 379.401(2)(A)(20), PROHIBITING THE FEEDING OR ENTICEMENT OF ALLIGATORS, TO WIT: THE DEFENDANT ATTEMPTED TO CAST HIS FISHING LURE ON TOP OF THE ALLIGATOR'S HEAD SEVERAL TIMES, AT WHICH TIME, HE HOOKED THE ALLIGATOR AND BEGAN TO PULL HIM FROM THE WATER. ON 041711 AT APPROXIMATELY 1530 HOURS WHILE AT OPERATIONS IN INVERNESS, DEPUTY RICHEY, DEPUTY HOWARD AND I OBSERVED THE DEFENDANT, MR ANTHONY MAZZOLA, FISHING OFF THE DOCK LOCATED BEHIND OPERATIONS THAT RUNS OVER COOTER POND. AS WE WERE WATCHING THE DEFENDANT WE NOTICED HE WAS ENTICING AN ALLIGATOR BY CASTING HIS LURE ON TOP OF OR EXTREMELY CLOSE TO AN ALLIGATOR USING HIS FISHING ROD. AFTER OBSERVING THE DEFENDANT FOR SEVERAL MINUTES doing THIS IT APPEARED HE WAS TRYING TO CATCH the ALLIGATOR. THERE ARE SEVERAL SIGNS POSTED ALONG THE DOCK ADVISING IT WAS ILLEGAL TO CATCH OR FEED ALLIGATORS. AT THAT TIME, I EXITED OPERATIONS TO MAKE CONTACT WITH the DEFENDANT ON THE DOCK. WHILE I WAS APPROACHING THE DEFENDANT, I NOTICED HE HAD HOOKED THE ALLIGATOR AND WAS PULLING IT OUT of the WATER. PRIOR TO MAKING CONTACT THE LINE HAD BROKEN AND THE ALLIGATOR WAS ABLE TO GO BACK INTO THE WATER. UPON MAKING CONTACT WITH THE DEFENDANT, HE WAS ADVISED THAT IT WAS ILLEGAL TO TRY TO CATCH ALLIGATORS WITHOUT A PERMIT. THE DEFENDANT THEN ADVISED HE WAS NOT TRYING TO CATCH THE ALLIGATOR, BUT INSTEAD WAS TRYING TO CATCH A FISH NEXT TO THE ALLIGATOR. AT THAT TIME, THE DEFENDANT WAS PLACED UNDER ARREST. HE WAS PLACED IN HANDCUFFS (DOUBLE LOCKED) BEHIND HIS BACK AND TRANSPORTED TO THE CITRUS COUNTY DETENTION FACILITY FOR BOOKING and PROCESSING. THE DEFENDANT'S BOND WAS SET AT $250.00, PER THE BOND SCHEDULE. "If you are a person with a disability who needs any accommodation in order to participate in this proceeding, you are entitled, at no cost to you, to the provision of certain assistance. Please contact the ADA Coordinator at the Office of the Trial Court Administrator, Citrus County Courthouse, 110 North Apopka Avenue, Inverness, Florida 34450, Telephone (352) 341-6700, at least 7 days before your scheduled court appearance, or immediately upon receiving this notification if the time before the scheduled appearance is less than 7 days; if you are hearing or voice impaired, call 711.” *NOT-EXEMPT* |
