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.