Traffic Stop In The Keys Turns Into Marine Violation For 3 Miami Residents
BIG PINE KEY (CBSMiami) – What started as a regular traffic stop turned into marine violation after police found dozens of fish—some illegal—inside the cooler of a Miami man's car.
Around 2:20 AM Sunday, Deputy Kendall Bailey pulled over a red sport utility car for not having a tag light. As it turned out the driver, 55-year-old Larry Brown, was driving with a suspended license, according to Monroe County Sheriff's Office.
Deputy Bailey, while issuing Brown a notice to appear in court for driving with a suspended license, saw a cooler in the back of Brown's vehicle. Brown told the deputy they had been fishing from a bridge on Cudjoe Key.
Deputy Bailey asked to look inside the cooler which turned out to have a large number of fish inside.
The deputy called for assistance from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. After counting and measuring the fish, according to MCSO, the cooler was holding a total of 80 mangrove snapper—which is 65 over the bag limit. Also, 12 of the fish were undersized and there was also one undersized Mutton Snapper and an undersized School Master.
Brown was traveling with Travis Rolle, 33, and 56-year-old Yvonne Jackson. All three, residents of Miami, were issued marine violations in connection with the undersized and over the limit fish.