Charlotte Hall, MD— A Charles County man and a juvenile were charged Friday night with illegal deer hunting after a resident reported hearing shots near his home.
Officers from several agencies searched a neighborhood near Allens Fresh Road before stopping a pick-up truck driven by James Jacob Clement, 19, of LaPlata. Clement and his passenger told officers that they saw a large white-tailed buck in a privately owned field. After stopping, the juvenile shined a flashlight on the deer while Clement reached for a loaded shotgun and fired through the passenger-side window.
The two drove away and then returned in an unsuccessful attempt to locate the deer. While trying to leave, they were stopped for speeding by a Charles County Sheriff’s Office deputy, who saw the shotgun, ammunition and a flashlight and called for a Natural Resources Police officer who was still searching the area.
Clement was charged with hunting with lights (jacklighting), hunting deer at night, hunting deer during a closed season, hunting from a vehicle, having a loaded weapon in a vehicle and shooting from/across a roadway. He received written warnings for hunting without a license, hunting without written permission, negligent hunting, hunting in a safety zone and failing to wear fluorescent orange. Officers seized the shotgun, ammunition and flashlight.
Clement is due in Charles County District Court Dec. 21. The juvenile was released to the custody of his parents and his case will be turned over to the Maryland Department of Juvenile Services for review.