Monroe County Sheriff Rick Ramsay joined Good Morning Keys on Keys Talk 96.9/102.5FM this morning to talk about what’s going on in the county.
This year’s lobster mini season was one of the safest in recent memory, with no fatalities, serious injuries or major boating accidents reported despite thousands of boaters taking to the water.
Sheriff Ramsay credited months of planning and close coordination among local, state and federal agencies for the successful operation.
“I think it was a busy mini season, but probably one of the safest and most uneventful mini seasons I’ve seen in a really long time,” he said. “So that’s a success from all the partners.”
Law enforcement agencies, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the U.S. Coast Guard, Naval Air Station Key West and local police departments worked together throughout the two-day season to keep boaters safe.
“We had nobody seriously injured. There were no trauma alerts, no boat strikes, no propeller strikes, no drownings,” Sheriff Ramsay said.
Authorities did respond to two separate incidents involving missing divers. In one case, three scuba divers became separated from their boat and were found unharmed about two hours later by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. A second diver who disappeared after entering the water to set an anchor was located safely about an hour later.
“Four missing divers were located unharmed,” Ramsay said. “So that’s a successful day.”
The sheriff also provided an update on an ongoing search for a missing boater who allegedly took a 26-foot Edgewater vessel from a Marathon-area business without permission.
“We are dealing with the potential criminal aspect of the fact that it was taken without the permission of the owner,” Ramsay said. “But first and foremost, the safety and well-being of the individual is the number one concern.”
The U.S. Coast Guard has launched a search-and-rescue mission while the Sheriff’s Office investigates the reported theft. The man was last seen operating the boat near Marathon several hours after it was taken.
“It’s kind of a mystery at this point in time,” Sheriff Ramsay said. “We’re still trying to locate this individual and recover the boat and hope that everyone’s okay.”
A West Palm Beach man has been accused of driving under the influence after striking an off-duty deputy’s motorcycle at a gas station in Islamorada before fleeing the scene.
The suspect was later stopped by deputies and is accused of resisting arrest and threatening to kill law enforcement officers and their families.
“We take every threat serious,” Sheriff Ramsay said. “You can’t make those threats whether you mean them or not.”
Another arrest involved an 18-year-old Big Pine Key man who allegedly rolled his Jeep, walked into traffic on U.S. 1 and fought deputies who pulled him from the roadway.
“A patrol sergeant had to literally drag him out of the road before he got hit by a truck,” Sheriff Ramsay said. “Again, just a poor decision—drinking alcohol, not knowing your limits, and drinking and driving.”
A fatal incident occurred in Everglades National Park, where deputies responded after a 70-year-old camper was found dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.
“It’s a challenge for the Sheriff’s Office,” Sheriff Ramsay said of responding to incidents in the remote portion of Monroe County. “There’s no radio communications there, and there’s no real reception.”
In another case, deputies arrested a man accused of pointing a loaded .45-caliber Glock handgun at another patron inside an Islamorada bar after demanding to buy illegal drugs.
“The guy got so mad that this guy didn’t have drugs, he actually pulled out a .45 caliber Glock handgun, pointing it in his face,” Sheriff Ramsay said. Deputies recovered the firearm and arrested the suspect on an aggravated assault charge.
The sheriff’s office saw four employee promotions and statewide recognition for the agency’s Traffic Enforcement Division.
“We just placed first in the state of Florida,” Sheriff Ramsay said, referring to a statewide competition among similarly sized law enforcement agencies.
He also said the Monroe County Jail earned reaccreditation from the American Correctional Association with a perfect score.
“We came out with a 100% score on our accreditation standards review,” Sheriff Ramsay said. “I’m really proud of the men and women of Bureau Corrections.”
National Night Out events will occur on Tuesday evening in Key Largo, Islamorada, Marathon and the Lower Keys.
“I just love this National Night Out,” Sheriff Ramsay said. “It’s a great opportunity to spend time with our citizens, see friends, make friends and continue to build these everlasting partnerships.”
The family-friendly events begin at 5:30 p.m. and will feature law enforcement officers, firefighters, military personnel, food, activities and community outreach.
“We want our listeners to come out and have a good time,” Sheriff Ramsay said. “It’s a family event, and we make it a fun event that adults and kids all enjoy.”