Conservation Law Enforcement Corner – November 2016

The Hall of Shame column is designed to highlight the efforts of Georgia DNR Law Enforcement Division (LED) officers who, among their many duties, protect Georgia’s wildlife, sportsmen and natural resources from game-law violators.

Echols County: On Aug. 30, 2013, Sgt. Patrick Dupree of the DNR Law Enforcement Division was conducting surveillance for nighttime deer poachers on Ga. Highway 94 near the intersection of C-18 Road (a private road.) 

At 11:05 p.m., Sgt. Dupree spotted a vehicle approaching, heading west on Highway 94. 

“Just as the vehicle passed my location, it slowed and stopped, and two high-powered rifle shots were fired from the vehicle,” Sgt. Dupree said in the official report on the incident.

“I proceeded onto the highway just as the vehicle began moving westbound again. As I turned on my headlights, the vehicle rapidly sped up. I approached speeds in excess of 100 mph in an effort to get closer to the vehicle before activating my emergency lights. After approximately 2 miles, the vehicle slowed, and I activated my emergency lights and conducted a traffic stop.”

The driver of the silver Toyota Tacoma was Randy Rewis, of Fargo, and he was alone in the truck. 

“Rewis was asked to turn his engine off and exit the vehicle,” Sgt. Dupree said. “As soon as he exited the vehicle, I smell a strong odor of alcoholic beverage. His speech was slurred, and he had a noticeable sway. I patted Rewis down for weapons and asked where the long gun was. Initially he denied having a long gun, but when asked again, he stated that he threw the gun out the truck’s window before he pulled over. 

“Rewis stated he shot at a doe deer in the highway ditch but did not hit the deer. I advised Rewis he was under arrest for hunting deer at night and placed him in handcuffs. 

DNR LED Ranger Daniel North arrived a few minutes later at the scene and secured Rewis while Sgt. Dupree called the Echols County Sheriff’s Department. 

Using an Alco-Sensor, Ranger North also determined that Rewis was under the influence of alcohol.

Ranger North wrote his report, “I made sure that the handcuffs were double-locked and stood by while he made arrangements for a deputy to come to the location. I made sure that there was a finger-width space between the handcuff and wrist due to complaints of them hurting. I noticed that there was a spent .30-06 casing that was still warm lying on the driver side floor of the truck.

“Rewis advised that he had not tried to shoot the deer, but that he was just shooting near it to scare it away from the highway,” Ranger North said in his report.

An Echols County Deputy arrived and took custody of Rewis, tranported him to the nearby Lowndes County Jail and charged him with DUI. 

The DNR officers found Rewis’ rifle 500 to 600 yards from where the traffic stop was conducted.

Ranger North said, “A semi-automatic Remington .30-06 was located on the south side of Highway 94 with the stock shattered and bent from where it had been thrown out of the truck. Rewis was told that once he was out of jail and wanted to get his rifle back to contact us, and we would get it back to him.”

Rewis received citations for hunting deer at night, hunting from a vehicle and hunting big game from a public road

DNR LED Region Rangers of the Year

The Georgia DNR Law Enforcement Division (LED) named Cpl. John Evans, who works primarily Glynn County on the coast, as the recipient of the James R. Darnell Award as the runner-up to Ranger of the Year. Last month we reported on Cpl. Eddie Tompkins being named Ranger of the Year.

“These Rangers have proved themselves leaders among their peers this past year,” said DNR Commissioner Mark Williams.  “They work hard every day to enforce the conservation laws of the state and to ensure public safety, and I applaud their contributions.”

Cpl. Evans, who recently earned a promotion from Ranger First Class (RFC) to Corporal, is known as a well-rounded Ranger dedicated to serving Georgians. This past year, he had a total of 267 enforcement contacts and conducted more than 200 Wildlife Management Area and State Park patrols, resulting in 79 violator contacts and four drug cases. On the waterways, Evans made six Boating Under the Influence arrests and logged 18 Search and Rescue missions. 

Cpl. John Evans

Each DNR Law Enforcement region across the state nominated a Ranger of the Year. 

2016 Region Rangers of the Year

• Region I (NW GA) – RFC Cody Jones

• Region II (NE GA) – Cpl. Eddie Tompkins

• Region III (E. Central) – RFC Tim Butler

• Region IV (W. Central) – RFC Keith Page

• Region V (SW) – RFC Jesse Harrison

• Region VI (S. Central) – Cpl. Tommy Daughtrey

• Region VII (Coastal) – Cpl. John Evans