ASP says a trooper spent 26 minutes attempting to handle geese on Highway 67. Witnesses claim two goslings were struck after traffic had already been managed. Federal protections and newly requested records could shape where the story goes next. The video of an Arkansas State Trooper allegedly running over two goslings was strange enough on its own. But Arkansas State Police (ASP) Director Mike Hagar’s public response may have expanded the story into a larger discussion about traffic safety, police discretion, and the legal protections surrounding wildlife. Hagar didn’t simply defend the trooper’s actions, he offered details intended to explain them, and those details now raise questions of their own. According to local reporting, witnesses recorded a family of geese crossing U.S. Highway 67 between Cabot and Jacksonville. Video appears to show a marked ASP vehicle, identified as A-75, activating emergency lights and moving toward the birds before at least one gosling was struck. Witnesses later alleged that a second gosling was hit when the officer stopped and backed over it. Agency Cites Trapped Geese And Stopped Traffic ASP later provided additional details to Carscoops, saying the trooper had been dispatched around 9:30 a.m. after geese became trapped on Highway 57 near the 15-mile marker. According to the agency, barriers on both sides of the roadway made it difficult for the birds to leave the highway. Warning: Some viewers may find the following video disturbing. ASP said the trooper “made every effort to coax the geese out of the roadway” as traffic slowed and stopped, creating what the agency described as the potential for crashes. The agency added that two goslings ultimately died and said troopers routinely handle wildlife incidents while attempting to preserve animal life and protect motorists. Read: Cops Find Raccoon Holding Meth Pipe In Its Mouth During Traffic Stop The statement adds extra context while also introducing details that could become relevant as additional records emerge. The dispatch time, response duration, and description of efforts at the scene are the kinds of details that may later appear in CAD logs, dispatch audio, dashcam footage, and body-worn camera recordings. Comparison To 2017 Fatal Crash Invites Scrutiny Hagar also referenced a fatal 2017 Interstate 40 crash near Mayflower, Arkansas, in which three people died following traffic disruptions. The comparison highlights the dangers associated with sudden slowdowns on major roads, but whether the circumstances in this incident resembled the conditions involved in that earlier tragedy may become another question. Witnesses allege emergency equipment had already been activated and traffic had already been slowed or managed while the geese crossed the roadway. That detail could become important as more information emerges because emergency vehicles are routinely used to alert approaching drivers and create safer operating conditions around roadway hazards. Another part of Hagar’s statement may also receive closer examination. According to his account, Arkansas Game and Fish was unavailable, and someone suggested shooting the birds. That raises additional questions that may eventually be answered through records or communications: who made that recommendation, whether it was documented, whether supervisors were involved, and whether wildlife officials provided guidance. Why Federal Bird Law Matters Here Canada geese are not simply wild animals crossing a road. They are protected under the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act, which generally prohibits unauthorized killing or taking of protected species. Exceptions exist under certain rare circumstances, including hunting seasons, wildlife management activities, agricultural situations, and permitted control programs. More: Actual Mustang Takes Out Toyota Windshield In Attempt To Jump It A review of publicly available federal wildlife regulations did not immediately identify a broad exemption specifically addressing routine law-enforcement activity involving protected migratory birds. That does not establish that a violation occurred. Intent, circumstances, and legal authority can all matter. Witness allegations also introduce another distinction that could become important. If the birds were accidentally struck during an attempt to clear a roadway hazard, the legal and factual analysis may look different than if investigators determine deliberate actions took place. The incident could ultimately raise a question many observers are already asking. How would authorities evaluate a similar event involving an ordinary driver rather than a marked patrol vehicle? FOIA Filing Now In Play The comments made by Hagar may also create a roadmap for understanding what happened next. If the trooper spent 26 minutes managing the incident, there may be additional records documenting it, including dashcam footage, bodycam video, dispatch audio, CAD logs, communications with Arkansas Game and Fish, supervisory communications, incident reports, and internal reviews. A formal FOIA request seeking those materials has now been submitted and acknowledged by ASP. For now, the public record includes witness video, witness accounts, and ASP’s explanation of what happened. But the agency has now provided a specific timeline, confirmed a dispatch response, described the roadway conditions, and said the trooper made “every effort” to remove the geese safely. Those are the kinds of details that typically leave records behind. And if those records exist, they may ultimately determine not only what happened on Highway 57, but whether the public explanation and the evidence tell the same story. Credit: KATV
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