January 24, 2012
By Scott Richardson, Pantagraph.com
CLINTON -- A second man has been charged with taking part in the
killing of seven white-tail deer hit by all-terrain vehicles near
Clinton Lake nearly two years ago.
Conservation police with
the Illinois Department of Natural Resources charged Chevy L.
Miller, 26, of Clinton with seven counts each of animal torture,
animal harassment by motor vehicle, hunting between 30 minutes after
sunset and 30 minutes before sunrise, hunting with aid of a motor
vehicle, hunting by aid of lights attached to a motor vehicle,
hunting without permission and unlawful taking of deer.
He
also faces a single count of criminal trespass to real property. The
deer were killed on Clinton Power Station property.
Miller
was issued a notice to appear in court March 21.
At this
point, the most serious charges he faces are punishable by six
months to one year in jail and up to $2,500.
DeWitt County
State's Attorney Richard Koritz said Tuesday he will review the
evidence to see if more serious charges are warranted.
The
first man charged in the case, Clay Reeves, 22, also of Clinton,
faces up to five years in prison, if convicted, after a DeWitt
County grand jury indicted him in mid-2010 on a more serious count
of animal torture. Reeves is scheduled to appear in court today.
IDNR police think two ATVs were involved, IDNR spokesman Chris
McCloud said.
The investigation is ongoing and other charges are
possible, he said.
Investigators pinpointed the time of the
incident to Feb. 2 to 4, 2010, after someone reported finding a deer
that had apparently been struck with a vehicle on power station
land.
A further search of the area revealed the carnage.
Most of the seven deer were dead but some were so badly hurt they
had to be euthanized.
Information was gathered through tips
to local Crime Stoppers, according to IDNR.
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