Black bear illegally transported
Princeton, NC (US)Incident Date: Wednesday, Nov 30, 2005
County: Johnston
Disposition: State Citation
Persons of Interest:
» Mark Cozino
» Christopher Smith
Two men were arrested November 30, 2005 after wildlife officials found the pair in eastern Johnston County hauling a dead black bear in the back of a moving truck.
Mark Cozino and Christopher Smith, both of Connecticut, were charged with transporting and possessing an illegally obtained black bear, said Sgt. Kelly Brantley of the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission. The bear apparently had been struck and killed by a car near Tuscarora in Craven County, west of New Bern, said N.C. Wildlife Officer Jason Daniel.
According to a tip called in to wildlife officials, the men put the bear in their truck and headed toward Raleigh on U.S. 70. They were pulled over in Princeton by local police officers, Brantley said.
The bear had died fairly recently, Brantley said. The animal was taken to Johnston County animal control, where Brantley planned to look it over again and then have it disposed of.
It is bear-hunting season in Eastern North Carolina through Jan. 2. But hunters must obtain a big-game hunting license and report their kills. They cannot take bears hit by vehicles or otherwise found in the wild. "You can't possess it unless you kill it," Daniel said. "Kill it legally." Daniel said it also is illegal to pick up a dead deer unless the carcass is reported to law enforcement officials and a receipt is issued by a law official to the person wishing to take the carcass. References« NC State Animal Cruelty Map
« More cases in Johnston County, NC
|
