WILMINGTON — Three suspected poachers are facing multiple charges — and possibly more — after an incident in which a wildlife officer was shot in the Martinsville area on Sunday, officers said.
At approximately 4 p.m. Sunday the Clinton County Sheriff’s Office received a call from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Communication Center advising that a wildlife officer had been shot and needed assistance, according to the sheriff’s office.
Wildlife officers and ODNR officers working in the area responded for assistance, as well as officers from the Clinton County Sheriff’s Office and Ohio State Highway Patrol.
Wildlife officers were investigating a deer poaching complaint in the area of Macedonia Road and Martinsville Road when the shooting occurred, according to a news release from CCSO Chief Deputy Col. Brian Prickett.
Wildlife Investigator Kevin Behr, a 25-year veteran of the division, sustained a gunshot wound during the investigation, authorities said.
Martinsville EMS as well as Wilmington EMS responded to provide medical assistance.
“Investigator Behr was airlifted from the scene and taken to a trauma center for injuries sustained during the shooting. Investigator Behr’s injuries, while serious, appear to be non-life threatening; he is currently in stable condition,” Prickett said Sunday night. “We would ask for everyone to keep Investigator Behr and his family in their prayers during this difficult time.”
Reports stated that Behr was transported to University Hospital in Cincinnati, but as of early Monday afternoon he was not listed as a patient there.
Kevin Behr “sustained serious injuries as the result of a gunshot wound on Dec. 20,” Ohio Department of Natural Resources spokesperson Stephanie O’Grady told AIM Media Midwest on Tuesday. “While his condition is stable, he underwent a second surgery Monday evening.”
She added, “We ask for prayers for a full and speedy recovery.”
Three suspects were taken into custody shortly after the incident, according to the CCSO:
• Brian R. Liming, 49, of Xenia, on charges of weapons under disability, a felony of the third degree; no deer permit, a misdemeanor of the third degree; and hunting without permission, a misdemeanor of the third degree.
• Thomas Davis, 35, of Jamestown, on a charge of aiding an offender, a misdemeanor of the fourth degree.
• Brian Achtermann, 36, of Midland, on charges of no hunting license, a misdemeanor of the fourth degree; and no deer permit, a misdemeanor of the third degree.
By Tuesday, all three men charged in the incident had been released on bond from the Clinton County Jail.
No information has been released regarding how the shooting may have occurred or who the suspected shooter might be.
The case is being handled by the Clinton County Sheriff’s Office. Upon completion, it will be presented to the Clinton County Prosecutor’s Office for possible additional charges.
If anyone has additional information relating to this case, they are asked to contact the Clinton County Sheriff’s Office Detective Division at 937-382-1611.
“The investigation into this case is being handled by the Clinton County Sheriff’s Office and upon completion will be presented to the Clinton County Prosecutor’s Office for a determination of additional charges,” stated Prickett.
