Milan man charged with killing goose waives preliminary exam
A Milan man charged with driving his Jeep over a group of baby geese in an American Legion parking lot waived a preliminary hearing this week and a judge bound his case over to circuit court.
Police first learned of the May 14 incident when a woman called from the American Legion, 44 Wabash Street, and said she saw a man run over a group of Canada geese with his red Jeep Compass.
Upon arrival, an officer said he found the Jeep parked haphazardly in a rear parking lot. A baby Canada goose lay dead in the grass about 50 feet behind.
Police later identified the man driving the Jeep as Norman Stowell.
The woman told police she watched from her home as Stowell, 69, drove into a rear parking lot and made a wide U-turn as he headed back toward the building. In the process, he “sped up” and drove directly over a group of geese walking in the grass, as they began to scatter, she said.
When questioned about the goose found near his Jeep, Stowell told police it didn’t move out of the way, according to an incident report.
He is charged with one count of killing/torturing an animal.
A pretrial hearing is scheduled for Aug. 31 before Washtenaw County Circuit Court Judge Archie Brown.
Heidi Fenton covers police and courts for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at heidifenton@annarbor.com or 734-623-4673. You also can follow her on Twitter or subscribe to AnnArbor.com's e-mail newsletters.
Comments
p2psilantimi
Sat, Jul 23, 2011 : 3:22 p.m.
We humans need to get our act together about our relationship with animals. Don't we kill and serve animals at our tables every day? Don't chickens get slaughtered by the millions? If I eat chicken (as did for breakfast this morning), but I feel that I am innocent of killing animals (because I did not do the killing myself), then I am a hypocrite. Therefore, unless I can prove to the world that I have never eaten an animal, I have never stepped on an ant as I hike on a mountain trail, and I have never driven over a beetle on a country road--unless I am innocent of all that, I will not raise my hand to stone this man who killed a goose.
Gordon
Sat, Jul 23, 2011 : 1:12 p.m.
Too many geese. too much geese poop. Too many children in Washington. The Lady reporting the geese crime better have proof she can judge vehicle speed of a turning car. Each auto should have a bag limit of geese each year till the specis can have optimal food supply like deer
Joe Kidd
Fri, Jul 22, 2011 : 7:38 p.m.
Horrible crime but I am glad Milan PD followed up. A few days ago, my wife called WCSD to report seeing a truck intentionally drive over a family of racoons, killing a baby. She called but was talked out of having a report made supposedly due to the fact that no license plate number was obtained. It's still a crime but now an unreported one. Glad Milan PD did some follow up and found the suspect.
WhyCan'tWeBeFriends
Sat, Jul 23, 2011 : 6:35 a.m.
Those baby raccoons travel in groups right out of the den. It is easy to hit them and easy to avoid them too, if the driver is alert to the wildlife at different times of days and seasons. We all know to look out for deer at dawn and dusk. Now is the time to watch out for baby raccoons. I have seen many in the last few weeks. It is also a good bet that baby birds aren't flying well yet. I see a lot of those in the road too.
Davidian
Fri, Jul 22, 2011 : 4:01 p.m.
Seeing dead baby geese makes me sad. I think it's pretty heartless what he did. But if this guy has seen combat, which I understand he has, he's obviously more hardened to life than most of us. That needs to be taken into consideration. For those who want to crucify this guy: you are being over-sensitive. Canada Geese are pests, let's face it.
WhyCan'tWeBeFriends
Sat, Jul 23, 2011 : 6:31 a.m.
Children can be pests too. Is he allowed to run over them in the parking lot if they don't get out of his way? If his combat days were 30 years ago and he is still not over PTS syndrome, someone missed the cue. Maybe his friends at the American Legion can alert him to his need for help. I honor our veterans and have several in my immediate family but NONE of them would do this, not even those who were traumatized in combat. This excuse gives every other veteran a free pass; it's wrong.
jrtluvr1959
Fri, Jul 22, 2011 : 3:33 p.m.
HUGE difference Tom todd, driving 70 mph smart people shouldn't stop, but this is in a parking lot. Smart people should stop. He was ignorant!
Jack
Sun, Jul 24, 2011 : 11:31 p.m.
He wasn't ignorant. He knew exactly what he was doing. He was mean.
Tom Todd
Fri, Jul 22, 2011 : 2:41 p.m.
I almost got killed the other day on 23 because some geese crossed the road and low behold people driving cars at 70+ mph slammed on there brakes this about took out a few cars someone could have died,sorry I,m not stopping in this circumstance.
WhyCan'tWeBeFriends
Sat, Jul 23, 2011 : 6:25 a.m.
Every driving instructor out there will tell you to hit the animal rather than cause an accident. That was not this scenario. Why is this so difficult for some people to grasp? I am glad you avoided an accident, I really am, but if the cause of braking had been for an accident ahead, something falling off a truck, or any other number of things, and people slammed on their brakes and had accidents, I would venture a guess that they were driving too close. Stuff happens.
Indicat
Fri, Jul 22, 2011 : 3:33 p.m.
Sometimes hitting an animal is unavoidable, such as in your instance of being on 23. However, Mr. Stowell was in a parking lot, hopefully traveling at a slower speed than expressway speed. He had every opportunity to stop, swerve, or park elsewhere. According to the witness, he sped up and intentionally drove over the geese.
xmo
Fri, Jul 22, 2011 : 2:39 p.m.
I feel bad for the Canadian Geese but we don't have jobs for them here with our own unemployment rate above 9%. I guess we need tougher immigration laws for Geese so that our American Geese don't get pushed out of jobs by cheap Foreign Geese! I bet Norman Stowell knew a few Geese that lost their jobs to these Canadians!
eone
Fri, Jul 22, 2011 : 2:23 p.m.
never have i goose hunted but i will this year how many can i shoot 20 maybe? just because
WhyCan'tWeBeFriends
Sat, Jul 23, 2011 : 6:20 a.m.
Well, I guess you better get yourself a license and stick to the dates - that would be the legal way, not running them over as goslings with your car because they were in your way, and you were in a hurry to get into the American Legion? You can have the limit, whatever it is. Just sayin'
Stupid Hick
Sat, Jul 23, 2011 : 1:01 a.m.
How juvenile. I don't think you will, I think you just say it because you think it will ruffle liberal feathers.
EyeHeartA2
Fri, Jul 22, 2011 : 1:41 p.m.
It will be interesting to see how this one plays out compared to the Hummer/Duckling incident. My guess is that, despite only having a Jeep, not a Hummer, not having any weed and, (to my knowledge anyway), never being accused of allegedly dumping alleged feces on an alleged cop car, Mr. Sotwell will end up in deeper do-do than the McDonalds alleged duck slayer.
Trepang674
Fri, Jul 22, 2011 : 1:08 p.m.
This guy is a little different...and how about the little ol lady that bring corn to the parks to feed the geese and their babies - just try to sit in the grass w/o clearing a spot of goose poop. She should be in the cell next to this guy.
Sallyxyz
Fri, Jul 22, 2011 : 12:54 p.m.
Glad this guy got caught. Intentionally killing innocent animals in a malicious manner is far too common and not frequently prosecuted. Time to teach these thugs a lesson. How about a photo of the perp?
someguy734
Fri, Jul 22, 2011 : 12:33 p.m.
so its legal to shoot deer, but running over a goose thats in your way is a crime? just saying.....
jinxplayer
Fri, Jul 22, 2011 : 1:16 p.m.
You sound like a very intelligent fellow. Good work!
Ron Granger
Fri, Jul 22, 2011 : 1:10 p.m.
He did not shoot the goose. He ran it down with his vehicle. We don't get to run things over just because they are in our way. You want to get a license and go shoot geese legally in a field? Have at it. That is not this. A car is not a weapon A drivers license is not a hunting license A parking lot is not a killing field It is about respect for life I do not want my children to see animals crushed beneath a car, and I don't want to see it either.
aawolve
Fri, Jul 22, 2011 : 1:02 p.m.
@ a2zoo- "Just think about it!!!!" This is way too much to ask of some guys.
a2zoo
Fri, Jul 22, 2011 : 12:46 p.m.
It is illegal to intentionally run over a deer too. Running over a goose, or a deer, is not hunting it (and I am not a hunter). There is a difference. Just think about it!!!!