Update on woman mistakenly killed as a deer

[left-of-center2012]

Criminal charges being considered against Sherman hunter who mistook woman for deer

The Chautauqua County (N.Y.) district attorney is considering criminal charges against a Sherman man being investigated for fatally shooting a woman who was walking her dogs.

Rosemary Billquist, 43, died after being shot in the hip Wednesday in the hunting accident, according to her husband, Jamie Billquist.

Thomas Jadlowski, 34, told investigators with the Chautauqua County Sheriff's Office that he thought Rosemary Billquist was a deer when he opened fire. When he heard a scream, he ran to her, called 911 and put pressure on her wounds, investigators said. Investigators said the shooting occurred after sunset, a violation of state hunting regulations.

DA Patrick Swanson said Monday that he would be meeting with representatives from the Sheriff's Office and the state Department of Environmental Conservation during the day to discuss the case.

If criminal charges are filed against Jadlowski, Swanson said, they would be either second-degree manslaughter based on reckless conduct causing death or criminally negligent homicide. Second-degree manslaughter is a C-level felony with a maximum sentence of five to 15 years in prison. Criminally negligent homicide is an E-level felony with a maximum sentence of up to four years.

Swanson said he could not say whether the case would be brought before a grand jury, but that if it was, that information would not be made public until an arraignment.

He also said the investigation showed Jadlowski was more than 200 yards away from Billquist when he fired his gun.

The district attorney added that the weapon used in the shooting was a Thompson/Center Contender, which is technically a handgun but "essentially a rifle." The firearm, a single-shot weapon, is classified as a pistol because it has a barrel length just under that of a rifle, Swanson said.

Investigators have the weapon believed to have been used in the shooting.

[livetohike]

1. Either charge sounds appropriate to me. From 200

yards away sounds suspicious to me.

[Sneederbunk]

2. Well, he was a proficient SOB.

[left-of-center2012]

3. Related article

Husband of hunting accident victim: 'Her life was cut way too short

Sheriff Joe Gerace recalled a similar incident five years in the Town of Stockton when a 33-year-old man was killed while field-dressing a deer he had shot shortly after sunset on Dec. 3, 2012.

The man's father fired the shot from about 100 yards away.

[dixiegrrrrl]

4. I admit I am terrible at judging distances

but 600 feet seems pretty far away to me.

[left-of-center2012]

5. Equals the length of two football fields. n/t

[dixiegrrrrl]

6. He either has the eyesight of an eagle to see a deer from that distance..after sunset, yet.

or she was standing in a football field.
My experience with deer is that they rarely stand around in a 600 foot clearing.

something smells fishy.....

[left-of-center2012]

7. "they rarely stand around in a 600 foot clearing"

I read about a year ago that most deer shot and killed are shot at an average of 50 yards,
due to them favoring wooded areas.

[mahigan]

8. Not really for this firearm

The T/C Contender, as reported in the article, is more rifle than handgun. It comes in 2 barrel lengths - 10" and 14"- and both can have scopes mounted on them. The triggers are adjustable for target grade accuracy. They are chambered almost exclusively for centrefire rifle cartridges.

I have shot a 1 1/2" five shot group at 100 yds from a rest with a scoped Contender chambered for a 7mm TCU - a .223 case necked up to 7mm. 200 yds on a deer is not a shot for a casual shooter but is well within the capabilities of a proficient one. The Contender is quite a sstunning tool.

In many cases, offenders are not charged with anything in these cases because a) it was an accident and b) one family has already been turned upside down and there is nothing to be gained by doing the same thing to another family. I disagree. Owning and using a firearm comes with a hefty set of responsibilities which this guy failed to discharge. I have sympathy for both families but the responsibility for all the pain and suffering is on him. Hopefully someone somewhere learns from it and another case like this is prevented.

The bottom line is that this guy used a dangerous weapon in an incredibly dangerous and irresponsible manner and needs to have the book thrown at him. I'm sure that sounds harsh to some but that's what I was taught.

[quad489]

9. There is NO excuse for not knowing what your aiming at before pulling the trigger...

...he deserves to be charged with at least negligent homicide.