Snorkler shot in face

[ls317]

http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/02/10/snorkeler.shot.ap/index.html?eref=rss_topstories

EUGENE, Oregon (AP) -- A snorkeler who was shot in the face after he was apparently mistaken for a swimming rodent was in good condition after surgery, a hospital said Saturday.

John William Cheesman, 44, of Springfield, underwent eight hours of surgery Thursday to remove bullet and bone fragments from his face, said his wife, Shelley Cheesman.

"He's doing really well," Shelley Cheesman said. "The bullet hit in front of his right ear, where the bone is the most dense. It just fragmented and didn't go into his brain."

He was listed in good condition at Oregon Health & Science University Hospital in Portland.

William Roderick, 60, of Reedsport, has been charged with assault, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and possession of methamphetamine and marijuana. He was being held in the county jail.

[Contrary1]

1. Geez...

Do you think alcohol may have been involved?

[merwin]

11. Or maybe Cheney?

[tularetom]

2. Was Cheney somewhere around?

[alittlelark]

3. Meth user shoots at rodent... oops it's a man.

<snip>William Roderick, 60, of Reedsport, has been charged with assault, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and possession of methamphetamine and marijuana. He was being held in the county jail.

Roderick told deputies he thought Cheesman was a nutria swimming in the Smith River near Reedsport, about 90 miles southwest of Eugene, and shot him with a .22-caliber rifle, police said.

A nutria is a water-dwelling South American rodent species that is larger than a muskrat but smaller than a beaver. It was introduced to U.S. waters in the 1940s, according the National Wildlife Federation.

Cheesman, an avid diver, was in the river looking at different species of fish, his wife said. He swam to the river bank and yelled for help.



Meth - 'nuff said. That is one drug I would test for for a firearms permit.

[smalll]

4. Leaving aside the other charges, why was this man charged with assault

when Dick Cheney wasn't? From what you post, I gather that the shooter in this case (Roderick) may have had no idea the snorkler was around. Dick Cheney was CERTAINLY aware that his "friend" was round.

[Downtown Hound]

5. Yet another reason why I hate assholes that

use a gun for everything, even things like rodent control.

[Solo_in_MD]

9. Nutria requries a firearm... 22LR is a good choice

[Cobalt Violet]

14. Why do they need to be armed?

I don't get what your saying.

[Bluebear]

6. 'mistaken for a swimming rodent ' - now THAT'S ugly.

Kidding, kidding.

[Wiley50]

7. Wow, Mr Lucky, I didn't know there was Nutria way up in Oregon

I remember plinking at them as a teen here in TN

Can't figure out why he didn't see the snorkle first

Except for the speed, of course

Speed Kills

too bad pot will get another bad rap out of this
because of speed

[Viva_La_Revolution]

8. mistaken for a nutria....

ok. :shrug: :wtf:

[Crunchy Frog]

10. I didn't know Cheney had taken up snorkeling.

Wow, I wonder what's worse, being shot in the face, or being mistaken for a swimming rodent.:(

[symbolman]

12. I won't tell the poor bastard about the Bats :)

Anyone notice that the guy who was shot, mistaken for a rodent has a name not one letter away from 'CHEESEMAN'?

Sounds like Hunter S. Thompson being channelled, except he had WAY more class.. :)

[Contrary1]

13. Umm, ok...

I would venture he voted for Dubya.

[lonestarnot]

15. Don't tell me.

The Dick was out there floating like a turd that he is with his shotgun.