Recent actions by law enforcement agencies in Northeast Michigan. This has been only lightly edited.

MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES

April 19 – May 2

Conservation Officer Sidney Collins assisted deputies in Montmorency County with a welfare check on a local citizen. The citizen did not make their doctor’s appointment the day before and was not answering their phone. The subject was found unconscious but breathing outside their home. While waiting for EMS, the subject came to and stated they had fallen four days ago and laid there waiting to die. The subject’s dog was outside with them and was laying on their feet. With temperatures dropping below freezing most of those four nights, the subject would have died without the warmth of their loyal pet. The subject is recovering well.

Conservation Officer Dan Liestenfeltz was at his residence when he received a complaint early in morning from Station 20 that an individual had shot a turkey from inside a vehicle just moments before. Liestenfeltz was able to obtain a partial license plate and a vehicle description as he was responding to the scene. As Liestenfeltz received the plate information, he was passed by a vehicle that matched the suspect’s vehicle description. Liestenfeltz initiated a traffic stop on the vehicle. Upon talking with the driver, Liestenfeltz was able to obtain a partial confession in which the driver only shot at a turkey but did not hit one. Liestenfeltz and the subject went to the scene and discovered a small amount of blood and some feathers. Still the subject stated that he may have hit the turkey, but it must not have died because it hit the ground and ran away. Liestenfeltz was unable to observe any blood or feathers in the back of the suspect vehicle. Liestenfeltz began tracking the turkey and discovered that it went well away from the initial area he was looking. He then observed drag marks and blood leading back to the roadway. Liestenfeltz went straight to the suspect’s home where more questioning began. The suspect eventually confessed to shooting the turkey and bringing it back to his house. He placed the turkey in a plastic bag so there would be no evidence in the vehicle. Liestenfeltz had the subject get the turkey which was hidden in an old oven outside the subject’s house and without a kill-tag attached. Evidence was seized and charges are pending with the Montmorency County Prosecutor’s Office.

Conservation Officer Dan Liestenfeltz was patrolling Albert Township in Montmorency County in the evening when he observed two dirt bikes traveling down the middle of a back road at a high rate of speed. Liestenfeltz initiated a traffic stop on the dirt bikes. Upon contact and investigation with the operators, it was determined that they were intoxicated. Both subjects were placed into custody and lodged at the Montmorency County Jail.

Conservation Officer Jesse Grzechowski responded to a complaint of an injured black bear on private property in Alcona County. The bear was located and euthanized as it was determined to only have use of its front legs. Grzechowski initiated an investigation along with the assistance of officer Jeff Panich. The officers began a necropsy of the bear to determine the cause of injury. While doing so, a property owner in the area arrived on scene and advised he shot the bear. The s conducted interviews and determined the landowner shot at two bears with a .22 caliber rifle the night before which had come on the property and into his garage. The injured bear had drug itself approximately 150 yards where it was located by the officers. The landowner had an active turkey feeder on the property as well. The s searched the property for the second bear but were not able to locate it. The officers finished the necropsy on the bear after clearing the scene and determined it had sustained two bullet injuries from a .22 caliber gun, one penetrating the spinal column causing the paralysis. Charges are being sought through the Alcona County Prosecutor’s Office for taking a bear out of season.

Conservation Officer Jon Sheppard assisted Alpena City Police and MSP troopers with a domestic assault. Sheppard assisted with intercepting a vehicle that left the scene. In addition to the assault, a court protection order was also violated. Sheppard cleared the scene and the suspect was arrested and lodged by local units.