ALBANY – The New State Department of Environmental Conservation is revoking Thomas Jadlowski’s sporting license after he accidently shot and killed Sherman Woman Rosemary Billquist while hunting after sunset in November 2017, according to a released statement from DEC Commisioner Basil Seggos.
“Now that the criminal case is over, DEC is commencing an administrative action to revoke the defendant’s sporting license,” Seggos said.
Seggos said the shooting could have been prevented.
“Every hunting accident in New York is preventable when people follow basic hunting safety rules,” Seggos said. “I hope this tragedy serves as a reminder to hunters across the state to always be sure of their targets and beyond. We are grateful to the hard work of our Environmental Conservation Police Officers (ECOs), Chautauqua County District Attorney Patrick Swanson, and the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office to bring this case to justice.”
Jadlowski, 34, of Sherman, was sentenced Monday in Chautauqua County Court by Judge David Foley to serve one to three years at a facility to be determined by the New York State Department of Corrections.
The sentence was issued as a result of Jadlowski’s guilty plea to criminally negligent homicide in the shooting death of Rosemary Billquist on Thanksgiving Eve 2017.
Jadlowski, who was illegally hunting deer after official sunset, aimed and fired at Billquist, his neighbor, when he mistook her for a deer as she was walking in a field behind her home in Sherman.
Seggos reminded all hunters to follow DEC’s Hunting Safety Rules:
- Assume every gun is loaded.
- Control the muzzle. Point your gun in a safe direction.
- Keep your finger off the trigger until you are ready to shoot.
- Be sure of your target and beyond.
- Do not hunt deer and bear in the dark; big game hunting ends at sunset.
DEC encourages hunters to wear blaze orange or pink. Wearing orange or pink prevents other hunters from mistaking a person for an animal, or shooting in your direction.
Hunters who wear hunter orange are seven times less likely to be shot.
For more information on these and other important hunting safety tips, please visit DEC’s website.
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