Cranberry Man Charged After Mistaking Hunter for Turkey in Pinegrove Township – exploreVenango
A Cranberry man faces charges after state game wardens say he trespassed onto posted private property in Pinegrove Township and shot a fellow hunter whom he mistook for a turkey.
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According to court documents, the Pennsylvania Game Commission filed the following charges against 20-year-old Wyatt M. Peterson, of Cranberry, on June 17:
- Recklessly Endangering Another Person, Misdemeanor 2
- Shoot At, Kill, or Injure Human While Hunting, Misdemeanor 2
- Unlawful Hunting in Safety Zone, Summary
- Trespassing on Land, Summary 2
- Taking/Possession of Game or Wildlife, Summary 4
- Damage Real/Personal Property, Summary 5
The criminal complaint states that state game wardens responded to a hunting-related shooting incident on May 23 at a property on Keister Road in Venus, Pinegrove Township, Venango County.
Upon arrival, wardens learned that emergency personnel had already flown the victim to Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh.
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According to the affidavit, investigators examined the scene and found multiple pellet strikes on trees and shrubs. Wardens noted a linear pattern of pellet strikes between the location where Peterson fired and the chair where the victim sat.
The complaint states that investigators determined Peterson was approximately 75 feet away from the victim when he fired.
It is noted in the complaint that the victim suffered pellet wounds to his right arm and right leg. According to the affidavit, medical staff removed four pellets during surgery, but approximately 55 pellets remain inside the victim’s body. The victim later told wardens that he was not moving or making turkey calls during the incident, the complaint states.
State game wardens reported that the property line was posted with purple paint to denote private property, and measurements showed the shooting occurred within a safety zone. The complaint states the victim was sitting 109.8 feet away from a nearby shed, while Peterson stood 117.1 feet from the structure when he discharged his firearm.
According to the affidavit, Peterson told wardens during an interview that he spotted a turkey on the property earlier that afternoon. The complaint says that Peterson admitted to parking his vehicle on Keister Road and entering the property past the purple paint markings on trees and a telephone pole.
The affidavit states that Peterson used turkey calls and entered a field where the victim was positioned. Peterson told investigators that he believed he saw a wild turkey fan, the complaint notes. Peterson allegedly told the wardens that he used a mouth call and then mistook the stock of the victim’s shotgun for the head of a turkey before firing his weapon.
According to the complaint, Peterson said he heard the victim yell, ran to assist him, and called for help. Wardens seized Peterson’s Stoeger shotgun and ammunition at the scene, the complaint continues.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for July 22 at 8:30 a.m. in the Venango County Central Court.