A video is circulating online of an officer snapping the fishing rods of two people on a railroad bridge near Russell Park Boat Ramp in Tice.
The video, seen thousands of times, was taken by a bystander, Jesus Andres. You can see a man dressed as a law enforcement officer hand over a backpack, snatch a fishing rod, break it in half and then throw it in the Caloosahatchee River.
Right after, he yanks one of the boys in the video by his shirt and leads them off the railroad bridge train tracks.
On Saturday, a few people were seen out fishing on the bridge tracks, which is an active section of the Seminole Gulf Railway line.
Trespassing on railroad property in Florida is both illegal and dangerous. Under Florida Statute 860.09, unauthorized people interfering with railroad tracks or equipment face legal penalties.
Gulf Coast News spoke to Josue Miguel and Sebastian Jimenez, the ones in the video, who say they were fishing when the officer came out cursing at them to get off the tracks before it all went down.
"So he's telling us, 'Hey, hey, hey.' And then he takes my foot on my friend's back, back. And he comes to me saying he's seen me before, but I haven't been here in so long. So I was just confused. So he just dragged me from my shirt. I'm afraid. He grabbed the pool and broke that and then throw in the word. And then he dragged me to his car and puts me in handcuffs," said Miguel.
Miguel showed Gulf Coast News the trespassing warning the officer gave him. It's from the Seminole Gulf Railway Police Department. Miguel says he was handcuffed for about 10 minutes and then given a warning.
The Lee County Sheriff's Office said it investigated the matter after seeing the video and confirmed it was not one of their deputies.
We know the officer gave Miguel a warning from the Seminole Gulf Railway Police Department.
Additionally, in 2024, Florida enacted legislation to enhance rail safety, increasing penalties for violations at railroad crossings. First-time offenders may incur a $500 fine, 25 hours of community service, and six points on their driver's license. While this law specifically addresses crossing violations, it underscores the state's commitment to deterring unauthorized access to railroad property.
We've reached out to the police department to ask what happened and for comment on the incident. They have not responded with a comment at this time.
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