We all expect those who enforce the laws to follow the laws. But if you’ve been around long enough, you know that’s not always the case. Now a Texas game warden who was shot while hunting illegally two years ago received a slap on the wrist.
An investigation by the Austin-American Statesman, Gamer Warden Chris Fried received a ticket for $800 and kept his job for multiple hunting violations rather than facing a felony and losing his position.
While off-duty in 2013, Fried was shot while illegally bow hunting in eastern Texas. But he claimed the injury on worker’s compensation even though the benefits do not cover accidents that occur off-duty. An official report uncovered by the newspaper states that Fried transitioned into a “game warden law enforcement mode” just before he was shot.
In addition to the accident while hunting without a permit, Fried was found to have hunted and killed white tail deer without a permit on public land, which can be punishable with jail time. The department did show that 10 other similar violations were punished in a similar way as Fried.
A Parks and Wildlife Department internal investigation cleared Fried of any preferential treatment.
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