Illegally shot deer leads to Montgomery County drug bust

CRAWFORDSVILLE (AP) -- An illegally killed deer led Indiana Conservation Officers to bust a Crawfordsville man for drugs.

Just after 11 a.m. Friday, the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office received a 911 call reporting shots fired in a rural area southwest of New Richmond. 
Believing the call to be hunting-related, Montgomery County Deputies contacted IDNR Conservation Officers.

Upon investigation, officers were led to a residence in Crawfordsville belonging to Mark Ross, 48.

Ross admitted to shooting the deer, telling officers he observed the animal as he drove down the road, and he exited his vehicle and shot at the deer twice with a 20-gauge shotgun.

According to officers, one shot passed through the deer, and the other slug was located lodged in a nearby tree.

Ross also admitted that after he shot the deer, he drove off and left the dead animal in the field.

While obtaining the confession from Ross, officers smelled a strong odor of what they believed to be marijuana coming from inside the house.

Ross admitted that he had been smoking marijuana shortly before they arrived. Ross consented to a search of his residence.

He now faces preliminary charges of shooting from a roadway (Class C misdemeanor), 
hunting by aid of a motor vehicle (Class C misdemeanor), failure to tag a whitetail deer (Class C misdemeanor), wanton waste/failing to retrieve a kill (Class C misdemeanor), possession of methamphetamine (Class D felony), possession of marijuana (Class A misdemeanor) and possession of drug paraphernalia (Class A misdemeanor).

Indiana Conservation Officers ask that anybody witnessing a natural resources crime contact ICO Dispatch at (812)-837-9536.

Callers who wish to remain anonymous can contact the IDNR TIP line at 1-800-TIP-IDNR.