Posted on 11/02/2015 4:48:02 PM PST by Timber Rattler
Idaho State Police are investigating after a Council rancher was shot and killed Sunday by deputies with the Adams County Sheriff's Office.
The incident began when a Subaru station wagon crashed into a bull on US 95 north of Council at about 6:45 p.m. Emergency responders and Adams County deputies responded and were working to extricate the two people inside the car. Adams County Sheriff Ryan Zollman said the bull, which was injured in the collision, started charging at emergency responders and other vehicles.
"The bull was very agitated and was aggressive to emergency services, as well as the other cars coming up and down the highway," he said.
Deputies were getting ready to put the animal down when the bull's owner, 62-year-old Jack Yantis, arrived on the scene with a rifle. Zollman said dispatchers had called Yantis after the crash, telling him that the bull that was hit appeared to be his, and was down on the highway near his house.
What happened next is still under investigation, but Zollman said there was an altercation and Yantis and both deputies all fired their weapons.
Yantis was fatally wounded and died at the scene. One of the deputies suffered a minor injury.
An emotional Zollman said Monday that his thoughts went out to everyone involved, and that his office took the shooting very seriously. ISP has taken over the investigation to prevent a conflict of interest.
"This is going to be a big hit to this community," Zollman said. "The gentleman involved, Mr. Yantis, was a well-known cattle rancher around here. It's just a sad deal for everybody involved, for the whole community."
The deputies who shot Yantis have been placed on paid leave. Their names have not yet been released.
"To the best of my knowledge, this is the first officer-involved shooting that Adams County has ever had," Zollman said.
Yantis' wife, Donna Yantis, suffered a heart attack after learning that her husband had been shot, family members said. She was taken to a Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center in Boise, where she was listed in critical condition Monday.
Both people inside the Subaru were taken to a Boise hospital by air ambulance. Their conditions are unknown. The bull was killed, although authorities are still investigating whether a bullet from Yantis' gun or one of the deputies' weapons killed the animal.
The area where the bull was hit is open range, Zollman said, and darkness had fallen by the time the Subaru crashed into the black bull in the roadway.
"It's not uncommon for us to have these kind of livestock versus vehicle accidents," he said. "Typically they don't turn out this way."
US 95 was blocked until 3:05 a.m. The investigation is ongoing.
Could be. I do know that my husband wouldn’t let anyone but himself put down one of our animals but that’s all I was basing my statement on.
F ing Subaru drivers.
As a trucker who drives over 100,000 miles per year, Subarus are the worst that I encounter daily. Their driving habits match their Obama and Sanders stickers.
It was open range.
The bull had legal right to be there.
If they didn’t want him there they have to erect a fence to keep him off the road.
A lot of people don’t get that.
Definitely NOT supported by the information given.
The incident began when a Subaru station wagon crashed into a bull on US 95 north of Council at about 6:45 p.m.
This is after not only sunset (5:31PM) but last light at 6:02PM source for sunset time
Dark critter, dark highway, open range, right place, wrong time.
No aggression on the part of the bull needed to have the wreck.
Afterward, the animal may act in self-defense--it has been hurt it and may well respond to the presence of additional people, noises, flashing lights, or efforts to drive it off with defensive acts (seen as aggression by those who just got there).
Without knowing how badly the bull was injured and the people involved, there are several possible scenarios, from an altercation resulting from the injury to the animal to a possible dispute over 'putting it down' to a pissing contest between deputies and the rancher.
If people were shot and killed, I would say the matter could have been handled better.
>> It was open range.
Yep, open means open. Share the road. Driver beware.
To No.1. How about “hungry” deputies? BBQ anyone?
My guess is the rancher wanted to put down his own critter and the Barney Fife didn’t want him to. Just guessin.
My guess too.
I refer to them as Dykemobiles.
I would put the Prius drivers right up there with the Subarus.
Technically, no sharing of the road.
Livestock has right of way.
We pass through with their permission.
If Yantis fired his weapon, it seems unlikely that he fired it at the bull.
I hope there is video.
It was a bull. It didn't have legal rights period.
Is this like stoning the owner of the bull that gores?
This means the rancher had the right to graze the bull there
Ping.
Take the bull to a butcher. Then, according to the UN, some conservative could have a “steak” through the heart.
I’m not an attorney, are you?
I’m quite sure an attorney would confirm my position.
On the other hand, if you were trying to say that it was legal for the owner of the bull to graze the animal on the open range, that would be correct.
No attorney in the US, I should say. Can’t vouch for the crazies over in Europe.
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