Two California men are facing multiple misdemeanor charges after allegedly hitting and killing a deer with their truck in early March, keeping the deer carcass and not reporting the accident.
According to Alaska State Troopers, Jae Kae Roders and Joseph D Whitt, both 26 years old, were cited last month by Alaska Wildlife Troopers for third-degree weapons misconduct, unlawful possession of big game, failure to notify authorities of road kill, failure to give immediate notice of a collision, driving without insurance and driving with expired registration.
Troopers say they received a report at about 6 p.m. on March 1 that a small red Toyota truck with a California license plate hit a deer on the Third Avenue bypass in Ketchikan. The caller reported that two adult males immediately exited the vehicle, loaded the deer into the back of the truck and drove away.
Later that evening, troopers say that Roders and Whitt were seen in the Woodside Apartments parking lot in a red Toyota truck with a California license plate, and they allegedly had the deer.
Troopers say the vehicle was not insured or registered, and both men are convicted felons in possession of a firearm.
Roders and Whitt have been arraigned in Ketchikan District Court, and have a jury trial scheduled for May 6.
