A 23-year-old man was shot and killed early Saturday morning during what Georgia Department of Natural Resources investigators describe as illegal hunting activity in Wheeler County.
According to the Georgia DNR Law Enforcement Division, Georgia Game Wardens were called by the Wheeler County Sheriff’s Office at approximately 3:30 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 26, to investigate a fatal hunting incident near Spring Hill Road.
DNR said its preliminary investigation indicates that the 23-year-old victim was shot and killed during illegal hunting activity involving five adults. The victim’s identity was not released in DNR’s initial announcement.
Game Wardens arrested Howard Benjie Hartley, 57, of Glenwood in connection with the incident.
According to DNR, Hartley has been charged with:
- Felony involuntary manslaughter
- Hunting deer at night
- Hunting from a motor vehicle
- Hunting big game from a public road
The charges are accusations, and Hartley is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
DNR has not yet released additional details explaining the circumstances that led to the shooting, including the relationship between Hartley and the victim or the roles of the other adults investigators say were involved in the hunting activity.
The Georgia DNR Critical Incident Reconstruction Team is leading the investigation. The specialized team works to reconstruct the circumstances surrounding serious incidents as investigators gather evidence and determine the sequence of events.
DNR said additional information will be released as it becomes available.
Hazlehurst Now will continue following this investigation and provide updates as they are released by authorities.
