ELY— A 20-year-old Ely man won’t face additional charges after he intentionally ran down three deer with his pickup truck last month, but he may face a stiffer penalty than it initially appeared. Casey Meadows, a former South Dakota resident now attending community college in Ely, was initially cited by a DNR conservation officer for three counts of running down wildlife with a vehicle, facing a possible total of $1,800 in restitution and fines.
That citation has since been dismissed by the St. Louis County Attorney’s Office and replaced with three similar criminal counts of the same violation, but this time with potentially larger fines and even potential jail time.
According to a criminal complaint filed by the county attorney on April 3, Meadows faces three misdemeanor counts, each with a maximum sentence of 90 days in jail and/or a $1,000 fine.
The state is also seeking restitution of $500 for each of the three deer that Meadows intentionally struck with his truck.
Meadows was driving into Ely in the early evening of March 21 when he spotted three deer on Hwy. 21, near the city limits. Instead of avoiding the deer, Meadows reportedly sped up to hit the deer, acknowledging to law enforcement later that he thought it was funny at the time. All three deer were fatally injured and a subsequent passerby dispatched the animals with a firearm.
The Ely Police Department led the investigation into the incident and had subsequently referred additional charges to the county attorney, including cruelty to animals and reckless driving. But Ely Police Chief Chad Houde said the county attorney opted against the additional charges.
Houde acknowledged that some area residents may be disappointed with that and said he’s a bit frustrated as well. But he said there was some ambiguity in the statute regarding cruelty to animals, which suggests it may pertain only to domestic animals, not wildlife.
“It’s frustrating that it happened at all,” said Houde, but he said he was pleased that his officers were able to track down Meadows and hold him accountable to the extent that the law allows.
He also lauded Ely area residents for their interest and crucial involvement in assisting the investigation. “The community really came together on this,” he said.