HARRISBURG – Trishelle Barish, 22, of Weirton, West Virginia, recently pled guilty to 10 charges related to a poaching incident in mid-January in Hanover Township, Washington County, according to Pennsylvania Game Commission Wildlife Conservation Officer Daniel T. Sitler.
Barish pled guilty to six counts of unlawful use of lights while hunting; one count of resisting or interfering with an officer; one count of damage to property; and two counts of loaded firearms in a vehicle. She pled guilty to all charges on March 23, and was ordered to pay more than $6,000 in fines and restitution, plus court costs. In addition to $3,100 in fines, Barish was ordered to pay $2,400 in restitution for the three deer she killed, and $506 in costs to repair a light that she shot out. Sitler also issued 10 written warnings for various other charges.
On Jan. 16, Sitler received a call regarding shooting and spotlighting deer the previous night in Hanover Township by someone in a dark-colored Chevy car. The witness observed the spotlight and shots coming from this vehicle near a field by his house.
“During the initial investigation, I discovered a deer that had been shot further up the road at a different location,” Sitler said. “The deer had a small caliber hole near the back of the head. This was confirmed while talking with residents at this next house. I then set up on night patrol that night.
“At around 10:45 p.m., I heard the distinct sounds of a rim fire rifle. I began driving towards that location and then ducked into a driveway when the headlights of a vehicle were seen. The vehicle passed my location, at which time I observed a spotlight come out of the passenger side and two shots were fired at deer. I maneuvered my vehicle behind the car and engaged my emergency lights, and the driver sped away.”
After following the vehicle, Sitler radioed the license plate of the car to the Game Commission’s Southwest Region Office dispatcher.
“I was unable to follow the vehicle when it reached Route 18,” Sitler said. “The vehicle was last seen heading north in Beaver County. I then went back to the scene and recovered two empty .17 caliber casings, and requested assistance from the Weirton Police.
“We went to the address listed from the license plate search, and found the car parked in the driveway. The owner of the car would not admit to anything at that time, but she did give me permission to search her car, in which I found an empty box of .17-caliber Federal ammunition that was the same brand found at the scene. I also found out that her boyfriend’s parents live in Beaver County near where I lost sight of the car on Route 18.”
Over the next week, Beaver County WCO Matthew Kramer assisted WCO Sitler with the investigation, and they were able to find several spent .17-caliber Federal casings and .22-caliber shorts on the same road. These matched up to witness accounts from Jan. 15.
“I contacted Hanover Police and found a report of shots being fired on another road on Jan. 16 at around 11:30 p.m.,” Sitler said. “I spoke with the witness at this location and found additional spent .17-caliber Federal casings along with .22-caliber short casings at two different locations on this road. I also dispatched a deer at this location because of an injury. Upon examination, I located a small caliber hole located in the head of this deer. I then checked on the complaint of a light being shot out on the same night. A spent .17-caliber Federal casing was found at this location.”
After securing a search warrant for the boyfriend’s parent’s house in Beaver County, Sitler and Kramer located and seized one .17-caliber rifle and one .22-caliber rifle belonging to the homeowner’s son.
“I received another call regarding a dead deer found in another field further down the road from the initial shootings,” Sitler said. “We located another .17-caliber casing along the road in line with the dead deer. In total, we found six locations with .17-caliber and .22-caliber ammunition. Of these six locations, three deer were found to have been shot.”
Sitler and Kramer met with Barish at the Hanover Township building, where she confessed to shooting at and killing deer at various locations, along with shooting out the light and fleeing Sitler’s attempt to stop her.
“However, she would not tell us if anyone else was involved in the poaching incidents,” Sitler said. “She also admitted that the shootings were for fun and that there was no interest in recovering the deer.
“This is a prime example of why the Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact is needed. As Barish is a nonresident and will have her hunting privileges revoked in Pennsylvania, she will be able to hunt in her home state.”
Senate Bill 1200, sponsored by Senate Game and Fisheries Committee Chairman Richard Alloway II (R-33), recently passed the Senate by a unanimous vote, and presently is awaiting further action in the House Game and Fisheries Committee.