Game Commission Seeks Identity Of Alleged Turkey Poacher Who Shot Crossbow Bolt Into Business' Window
O'HARA TOWNSHIP, Pa. (KDKA) - The Game Commission needs the public's help finding an alleged poacher who caused extensive damage to a business when he illegally shot at a turkey in O'Hara Township's RIDC Industrial Park.
The commission says on the evening of May 25, a red minivan, possibly a Honda Odyssey, was captured on surveillance cameras driving past a business on Kappa Drive.
WATCH: Surveillance Video
When the driver saw multiple turkeys, he turned around and was captured using a crossbow to shoot at them from his car. That's when the turkeys scattered and the crossbow bolt smashed into the business' window, leaving a spiderweb of cracks, before falling into the grass.
The person whose office it was was gone for the day.
"You can see where he traditionally sits. He actually positioned that chair to demonstrate where he sits while he's working. So had that crossbow bolt went through that window, and he'd been working, it could have been catastrophic," said Game Warden Madison Kyle.
The Game Commission says surveillance cameras managed to catch the alleged poacher's face when he went to pick up the arrow. He's described as a young white male about 6 feet tall with short brown hair. At the time he was wearing tan pants and a gray shirt.
He hasn't been seen since.
"I have driven through RIDC several times since this occurred and have not had any luck," said Kyle, adding, "This gentleman looks like he was probably working. Why he had the crossbow with him, that is up to speculation."
Kyle says the alleged poacher's encounter with the turkeys broke several game laws, including using a vehicle to locate game, discharging a weapon of take from a vehicle and taking game in a safety zone.
She has a message for him: "Contact me directly and let's work through this. There were violations but let's work through this."
The Game Commission is also seeking restitution for the thousands of dollars it cost to repair the window.
Anyone who has information is asked to call the Pennsylvania Game Commission's Southwest Region at 724-238-9523, Operation Game Thief Hotline at 1-888-PGC-8001 or click here.
