BearHunter
04-09-2004, 04:20 AM
By: MELISSA KINTON
Source: The Monroe County Advocate
04-06-2004
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VONORE - Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency officer Doug McKenzie was assaulted while on duty Saturday, April 3, around 8:30 p.m. A massive manhunt followed in an attempt to capture his assailant.
McKenzie was checking campgrounds at Chilhowee Lake near the dam when he saw two men, Joshua Moser of Vonore and Andrew Craig of Madisonville, with an 18-year-old girl at a campsite on ALCOA Aluminum Co. property in Monroe County. McKenzie said he approached the three because they had an all terrain vehicle in the campsite, which is not allowed. When he got closer, McKenzie said he saw a 12- guage shotgun in the car and another shotgun wrapped in a jacket on top of the car. Upon inspection, he found the gun on top of the car loaded with buckshot. He also found a sawed-off shotgun.
Neither man was a licensed hunter, which made possession of the weapons in a wildlife management area illegal. Possession of a sawed-off shotgun is a federal offense, which in this case will be prosecuted by the department of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. McKenzie said he went to search the men and one of them, Moser, became belligerent and hit him. McKenzie said an altercation followed and McKenzie knocked Moser off of him then Moser ran into the woods.
“When I went to search his front pocket, that’s when he went bananas on me,” said McKenzie. “I was not injured in the ordeal; he was slightly injured. He never went to the doctor; he just had a bandage on his head.”
A manhunt followed, involving more than 20 officers from seven agencies to try to locate Moser, who was believed to have been armed with a knife. The search included a helicopter from Knox County and a team of search dogs from Blount County.
“Because of Jason Scott, right now if an officer gets assaulted, he’s going to have a lot of back up,” said McKenzie.
Moser was found the next day at his mother’s house where he was arrested and charged with assaulting a wildlife officer, evading arrest, unlawful possession of a weapon, illegal possession of weapon on a wildlife management area and possession of illegal ammunition.
Craig was arrested and charged with possession of Schedule II methamphetamine, illegal possession of drug paraphernalia, illegal possession of weapon for intent to go armed, unlawful possession of a weapon on wildlife management area, illegal possession of ammunition and operating an all terrain vehicle in a closed area.
The girl was released to her father. Both Moser and Craig have been released on bond.
Source: The Monroe County Advocate
04-06-2004
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
VONORE - Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency officer Doug McKenzie was assaulted while on duty Saturday, April 3, around 8:30 p.m. A massive manhunt followed in an attempt to capture his assailant.
McKenzie was checking campgrounds at Chilhowee Lake near the dam when he saw two men, Joshua Moser of Vonore and Andrew Craig of Madisonville, with an 18-year-old girl at a campsite on ALCOA Aluminum Co. property in Monroe County. McKenzie said he approached the three because they had an all terrain vehicle in the campsite, which is not allowed. When he got closer, McKenzie said he saw a 12- guage shotgun in the car and another shotgun wrapped in a jacket on top of the car. Upon inspection, he found the gun on top of the car loaded with buckshot. He also found a sawed-off shotgun.
Neither man was a licensed hunter, which made possession of the weapons in a wildlife management area illegal. Possession of a sawed-off shotgun is a federal offense, which in this case will be prosecuted by the department of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. McKenzie said he went to search the men and one of them, Moser, became belligerent and hit him. McKenzie said an altercation followed and McKenzie knocked Moser off of him then Moser ran into the woods.
“When I went to search his front pocket, that’s when he went bananas on me,” said McKenzie. “I was not injured in the ordeal; he was slightly injured. He never went to the doctor; he just had a bandage on his head.”
A manhunt followed, involving more than 20 officers from seven agencies to try to locate Moser, who was believed to have been armed with a knife. The search included a helicopter from Knox County and a team of search dogs from Blount County.
“Because of Jason Scott, right now if an officer gets assaulted, he’s going to have a lot of back up,” said McKenzie.
Moser was found the next day at his mother’s house where he was arrested and charged with assaulting a wildlife officer, evading arrest, unlawful possession of a weapon, illegal possession of weapon on a wildlife management area and possession of illegal ammunition.
Craig was arrested and charged with possession of Schedule II methamphetamine, illegal possession of drug paraphernalia, illegal possession of weapon for intent to go armed, unlawful possession of a weapon on wildlife management area, illegal possession of ammunition and operating an all terrain vehicle in a closed area.
The girl was released to her father. Both Moser and Craig have been released on bond.