In Ely, outcry leads to added charges in case of three deer hit by truck

Former Ely Police Chief John Saw has dispatched a lot of road-killed deer in his career, but he said it was gut-wrenching for him last month to end the lives of three deer intentionally run over by the driver of a pickup truck who said he did it for laughs.

"In 30 years of law enforcement, I never came across something this senseless,'' Saw said Thursday in an interview. "My wife told me later she had a hard time sleeping.''

The ex-chief said he and his wife went out for dinner March 21 with another couple. On their way home, near Ely Golf Club, they happened upon the scene of three crippled and bloody deer scattered on the road and its ditches, fighting for their lives. Saw used a firearm to put the animals out of their misery, and the venison was donated.

According to a criminal complaint filed this week in St. Louis County District Court, Casey Alan Meadows, 20, of Ely speeded to strike the whitetails as they ran northbound in the northbound lane. Department of Natural Resources conservation officer Anthony Bermel said the animals were running single file, hemmed in by steep snow banks on the roadsides.

According to the three-count misdemeanor complaint, a motorist who witnessed the collisions told police that the driver ahead of him appeared to accelerate above the 30-mph speed limit in order to injure the animals. The Tundra did not stop and continued into town, where police later found Meadows and questioned him. Police also interviewed at least one of Meadows' passengers, Saw said.

According to the complaint, Meadows confessed to the following story:

"Defendant admitted he intentionally hit the deer. Defendant said he and his friends thought it was funny at the time, but feel bad about the situation now. When asked what was said before he hit the deer, the defendant said he asked his friends if he should try and hit the deer, and his friends said 'Yeah.' ''

According to the complaint, Meadows told police he didn't stop after striking the animals because he thought the hits were fatal and that he left the scene because he didn't want to have contact with the motorist behind him.

Bermel, who was called to help investigate, called the incident "disturbing.'' Not only is it unique for a motorist to intentionally try to hit a deer, he said, but nearly everyone in the Ely area knows the region's whitetail herd is depleted and stressed from a season of prolonged, deep snow.

"Here the deer have had such a difficult winter,'' Bermel said. "They basically make it through, just to get mowed over.''

Bermel initially issued a single misdemeanor citation to Meadows that could have been settled by paying the ticket through the mail. But as word of the incident spread on social media, there was a public outcry for greater punishment.

Bermel said he met with county prosecutors and understands the logic of dismissing the original citation and filing a formal criminal complaint for three counts of using a motor vehicle to chase wild animals. The original citation called for wildlife restitution of up to $500 per deer. That's still the case, but Meadows faces potentially stiffer penalties under the new complaint. Each misdemeanor charge carries a maximum penalty of 90 days in jail and a $1,000 fine.

"I certainly understand the public on this one,'' said Bermel, who said he would have pushed for stiffer penalties "right off the bat'' if there was an obvious path for him to do that.

Assistant St. Louis County Attorney Amber Pederson said the change enabled the state to add two additional counts. There is now one misdemeanor offense charged for each deer, she said. The filing of the formal complaint also requires a court appearance. Written as a citation, the offense would have been deemed a petty misdemeanor upon payment of the fine, the prosecutor said.

Meadows' arraignment is set to be a remote court appearance through Zoom on May 12. Pederson said she does not anticipate Meadows getting booked or having his mugshot taken.