Another Hunter shoots Daycare Center - Unbelievable!

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December 17, 2008 - 5:04am

CLARKSVILLE, Md. (AP) - An Ellicott City man was charged with negligent hunting for allegedly shooting a shotgun slug through a window at a daycare center in a case that has raised questions about safety zones, the state Department of Natural Resources said Tuesday.

 

Richard V. Hoenes Jr., 41, didn't immediately return a telephone call from The Associated Press seeking comment on the charge filed against him Monday by the state Natural Resources Police.

 

Hoenes was hunting deer on private property more than 270 yards from the occupied daycare center in Clarksville when he fired a round that shattered a window in the building Dec. 10, police said.

 

State law and a Howard County ordinance prohibit hunting with firearms within 150 yards of occupied dwellings or churches without permission. Even if hunters are outside the statutory safety zone, they must be aware of what lies beyond their target before firing, said Paul Peditto, director of the DNR's Wildlife and Heritage Service.

 

The incident was the second such episode in Maryland this season. On Nov. 29, two bullets hit a home near Williamsport , resulting in negligent hunting charges against Rodney Harne, 19, of Williamsport . One bullet entered the home through a window and the other broke a garage window. Harne was also more than 150 yards from the home, police say.

 

No one was hurt in either incident.

 

The daycare shooting prompted Howard County Executive Ken Ulman to seek a change in the county's ordinance to expand the safety zone. And state Delegate Elizabeth Bobo, D-Howard, said last week that she would ask DNR Secretary John R. Griffin to explain how the shooting occurred, given the safety zone.

 

Peditto said Tuesday that rather than seeking a change in state law, county officials should first consider banning firearm discharges in areas where development has made hunting with guns inappropriate. (Gee, ya think?)

 

"We're willing to continue working with the counties regarding their concerns raised by these unfortunate circumstances, but because both of these individuals have been charged with negligent hunting, (Wow, sounds really serious) it does beg the question whether changing the words in the law book would change the outcome and/or the behavior," Peditto said.

 

Hoenes is scheduled to appear in Howard County District Court Jan. 22, Sgt. Kenneth Turner said.

 

Hoenes was charged with failing to report a deer kill within 24 hours, Turner said.

Remember the two little kids that were "grazed" by a bullet in a day care in Michigan last month, below:

 

But there are ALWAYS numerous cops to sit and eat donuts in their cars after harassing Animal Activists during every protest they hold across America - because there's no other crimes involving guns or just plain bad people, right????

 

MI: Bullet hits two young boys in day care

 

A deer hunter's stray bullet in Cheboygan County, hit two young boys in day care.

It happened Thursday. Police say the hunter was aiming for a deer and missed, sending the stray bullet through a day care center.

 

The three-and-five-year-old boys were just grazed (Oh, ok, that's not a big problem) and were treated and released from the hospital.

 

Police are investigating. They say the hunter may not have known there was a day care in the area. There's no word on whether charges will be filed.

 

Of course not, it was just a "hunting accident".