By Meg Peters
Review Staff Writer
On November 25, a woman was mistaken for a deer.
The 34-year-old Oakland Township hiker was walking with a friend and her beagle in the North Unit of the Bald Mountain Recreation Area when two hunters heard a noise.
The hunters had just seen a deer near Harmon and Stoney Creek roads, where the hikers were strolling, and had lost site of it. One of brothers discharged two rounds of buckshot from a shotgun where he had seen movement.
One of the bullets struck the 34-year-old in the hip and she went down.
According to Oakland County police reports, the brother of the hunter administered aid to the victim until the Oakland Twp. Fire Department arrived to the scene.
She was transported to the McLaren Oakland Hospital in Pontiac and was in good condition with non-threatening wounds and was later released with the bullet still inside her.
Two OC detectives interviewed the hunters before turning them over to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources for further investigation.
Sgt. A. Spencer, who first interviewed the hunters, said he was unaware of any former accidents of this nature in this area of Oakland Township, saying they were uncommon.
‘As far as hunters, they should always observe the rules of hunter safety. As far as hikers or people, always wear lots of hunter orange, and be aware that there are hunters actively hunting within the state land,? he said.
Lt. David Malloch, the directo supervisor for the MDNR Law Enforcement Agency, received the investigation from OC detectives.
He agreed with Sgt. Spencer.
‘We’re on pace to have one of our safest hunting years ever, it’s not a common occurrence to have this happen,? he said.
The hunter from Massachusetts whose bullet struck the woman is facing a potential reckless discharge of firearm charge, which is pending the prosecutor attorney’s approval.
If the prosecutor authorizes the man’s charge, he will move through the court system at that point, depending on whether he pleads guilty or not guilty.