Driver Accused of Hitting Deer on Purpose Faces Charges

A 29-year-old West Bend man accused of killing a deer on purpose using his pickup truck will faces charges in the incident caught on video by the WE Energies security cameras.

Michael A. Cox was charged Wednesday in Ozaukee County Circuit Court for a misdemeanor charge of illegal hunting; a court date has not yet been set.

Cox called Port Washington police at 5:25 a.m. April 27 to report that he had struck a deer while on his way to go fishing, according to a police report. He wanted to claim the deer.

Meanwhile, a phone call came in from an employee at the We Energies plant regarding the accident. The employee told police that the security camera footage had caught this so-called accident on tape, and that it actually was no accident at all: the driver of the pickup truck intentionally drove down South Beach Road at a high rate of speed and hit the deer on purpose, according to the caller.

Department of Natural Resources Conservation Warden Tony Young responded to the scene on April 27 to begin an investigation into the incident. The decision to file charges comes via the District Attorney after the investigation.

"This is not common — it's rare," Young said. "It might happen more than we know … (but) I believe it's a pretty rare thing."

Read more:

• Video: Port Washington Police released video of the incident on Tuesday.
• Original story: Details about the incident from the Port Washington police report.