Trooper tied to hunting mishap
Norton woman shot in abdomen; he mistook her two dogs for deer
By Travis Andersen | GLOBE STAFF   JANUARY 01, 2012
The hunter who shot a 66-year-old woman in Norton on Saturday after apparently mistaking her dogs for deer is a Massachusetts state trooper, a State Police spokesman said yesterday.
The spokesman, David Procopio, confirmed that the hunter is a trooper.
Norton police identified him as John Bergeron, 50, of Norton, and identified the woman as Cheryl Blair, also of Norton.
“It was an accidental shooting,’’ Procopio said in a telephone interview, adding that Bergeron immediately called 911 and administered medical aid to Blair while waiting for emergency personnel to arrive. She was reported in fair condition late yesterday at a Rhode Island hospital.
But Blair’s son, Nicholas, 33, said in a phone interview from his mother’s home that he believes Bergeron acted negligently by hunting when it was getting dark.
Nicholas Blair said that he went to the scene after learning what happened and based on what he saw, “It was too dark, and it was gross negligence.’’
He added that Bergeron did the right thing by staying at the scene and trying to help his mother.
“Does that vindicate him? No,’’ he said.
Authorities said Blair was shot while walking two of her dogs on a wooded path off Oak Street shortly before 5 p.m.
Sunset on Saturday came at 4:23 p.m., Procopio said, meaning that Bergeron was required to stop hunting at 4:53 p.m., according to state regulations. The shooting occurred a few minutes before that deadline, according to Procopio.
Authorities said Bergeron, an experienced hunter with a valid permit, will not face criminal charges in connection with the shooting, which has been ruled an accident.
http://bostonglobe.com/metro/2012/01/01/trooper-tied-hunting-mishap/Z7mBiloPKP008KXze4wg5H/story.html
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