by Barbara Miller, 8/24/16, pennlive.com
The explosion happened at 6:55
p.m. Aug. 3 in the 1100 block of North Penryn Road, Penn Township, Northern
Lancaster County Regional Police said Wednesday.
The suspects are accused of
placing two M-80 firecrackers on the shell of the turtle and lighting the fuse,
causing the death of the reptile, police said.
A crater was found, in what
appeared to be remains of a large turtle, including bone fragments and biological
remains. Witnesses provided a description of a truck seen at the scene, and
police were able to identify three suspects.
Charged were Taylor James Geib,
21, of the first block of North Colebrook Road, Manheim; Austin Mathew Garner,
21, of the 2000 block of Mountain Road, Manheim; and a 17-year-old juvenile,
whose name was not provided by police.
The turtle wasn't a pet, but a
wild turtle, possibly a snapping turtle, Lt. George Pappas said. It was larger
than a box turtle, but not a full-grown turtle, he said.
"They found it in a rural
area, saw it and decided to do this," he said. Pappas said he doesn't know
the motive for the stunt. "Young and poor judgment," he surmised.
The suspects were charged with
prohibited offensive weapons and criminal conspiracy.
Pappas said animal cruelty
charges can only be filed for domesticated and zoo animals under the Pa. Crimes
Code.
The Pa. Fish and Boat Commission
has been notified, and further charges could be filed, Pappas said. Turtles,
which are reptiles, fall under that agency, rather than the Pa. Game
Commission.
Eric Levis, Fish & Boat
Commission spokesman, said they are reviewing the case, and charges could be
filed.
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