Staff Writer
PRESQUE ISLE – A local snowmobiler will appear in court after being summonsed Saturday for harassing wildlife.
The Presque Isle Police Department responded to a call from a Brewer Rd. resident at approximately 12:22 p.m. Dec. 27 who told police four people on snowmobiles were chasing some sort of animal around the field and that one of the individuals had actually run over the animal.
“The caller stated the people got off their snowmobiles and stood around the animal after it was hit,” said Sgt. Joey Seeley, PIPD.
The caller told police the animal might have been a fox.
Seeley and Officer Kevin Reed, of the PIPD, responded to investigate. Seeley went to the caller’s residence and had them indicate where the offense took place.
“A short time later I located four sleds crossing the Caribou Rd., heading west, by the John Deere dealership. Two sleds went across but I was able to stop the other two,” said Seeley.
Seeley identified the two operators he stopped as Travis J. Pinette, 18, of Presque Isle, and Benjamin L. LeBlanc, II, 19, of Mapleton.
“They advised that the other two sleds were operated by Lucien Simard, 20, of Presque Isle, and a 17-year-old male from Presque Isle,” said Seeley, noting the juvenile’s name was not being released.
According to Seeley, Simard returned a short time later and admitted he was the one that ran over and killed the fox.
“Lucien stated after killing the fox, he returned home and placed the fox in the back of his pick-up truck,” said Seeley.
Reed subsequently went to Simard’s residence on the Higgins Rd., where the fox was confiscated and turned over to Warden Alan Dudley.
Seeley went to the juvenile’s residence and advised a family member that the boy was to return to the scene as soon as he got home. The juvenile met with officers at the scene a short time later.
As a result, Simard was summonsed to court for harassment of wildlife, with a Feb. 4, 2009, appearance scheduled in Presque Isle District Court. Pinette was summonsed for operating an unregistered snowmobile. Pinette, LeBlanc and the juvenile were also given warnings by Dudley for harassment of wildlife.
Dudley said he’s had “relatively few” cases like this.
“It’s a civil violation. I don’t get many calls like this but they do happen. Some don’t think it’s a big deal. Unfortunately, it is – any time you stress an animal, it’s a serious matter,” said Dudley.
Staff photo/Kathy McCarty
FOUR SNOWMOBILERS were questioned Saturday regarding an incident involving the harassment of wildlife. Here, Sgt. Joey Seeley, of the PIPD, stops to speak with three of the four riders just off the Caribou Rd. in Presque Isle. Lucien Simard, 20, of Presque Isle, was subsequently summonsed by Warden Alan Dudley for harassing wildlife after Simard allegedly ran over and killed a fox with his snowmobile.
