Monroe man facing BUI, resisting arrest charges
News Release
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Media contact: Officer Robert Dube, 305-684-8703
Officers with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation
Commission (FWC) have charged a Monroe County man with boating
under the influence, resisting arrest and reckless operation of a
vessel. All of the charges are misdemeanors.
On July 4, FWC officers responded to a possible
search-and-rescue call in Jewfish Basin. There, they found a boat
adrift with no navigational lights or anchor light displayed.
FWC officers suspected the operator, William Z. Freeman (DOB
09/30/89) of Key West, was impaired. After interviewing other
passengers and conducting sobriety tests, FWC officers James
Johnson and Seth Wingard directed Freeman to anchor the vessel,
stay at the location and not operate the vessel as they searched
for the missing person.
About two hours later, the officers learned the missing man had
arrived home safely and was unharmed. They returned to where they
had left Freeman and his boat, but he was gone. After an
unsuccessful search for Freeman and the boat in the surrounding
area and marina, the officers obtained a warrant for his
arrest.
On Saturday, Freeman was taken into custody and booked into the
Monroe County jail. He has been released on $8,000 bond.
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