Lodi Township swans died of blunt trauma consistent with being struck by a car, DNR says
Authorities say three swans killed over the weekend in Lodi Township died of blunt trauma consistent with being struck by a vehicle - not gunshot wounds as originally suspected.
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources said in a press release this morning that a necropsy report on the dead swans' carcasses showed blunt trauma.Two of the dead swans were discovered next to the road Saturday morning. Nearby residents said they appeared to have been lured into the road and shot sometime around 3 a.m. Saturday.
A third swan was found severely injured Sunday morning and had to be euthanized. The fourth swan in the family was uninjured.
According to the press release, "In his necropsy report, DNR Wildlife Veterinarian Dan O’Brien said the male adult swan and female cygnet found dead early Saturday morning died of massive blunt trauma consistent with being struck by a vehicle. An adult female swan from the same pond that was found alive on Sunday with severe injuries and had to be euthanized also suffered of blunt trauma, O’Brien said."
Mary Dettloff, a spokeswoman for the DNR, said the agency originally suspected gunshot wounds based on the conservation officer's visual inspection of the carcasses at the site Saturday morning.
"The only reason the swan carcasses were sent to the lab for a necropsy was to pinpoint the cause of death," she said. "It took X-rays to determine if a firearm was used. X-rays showed no pellets or bullet fragments in any of the birds. This was a very fluid situation, as many of our investigations are."
The death of the swans prompted an outpouring of anger and sadness; the family of trumpeter swans was a fixture near the intersection of Parker and Scio Church roads for years.
Residents who suspected the swans were shot or beaten to death quickly mobilized, putting up fliers and offering a $5,000 reward.
On Sunday, Ray Stocking, president of the Washtenaw Audubon Society, cautioned against jumping to conclusions. This morning, he said he was relieved to hear the news from the DNR - but hoped more information would come out on what happened.
"My first reaction was that my faith in humanity is restored knowing they apparently weren't shot and/or clubbed to death," Stocking said. "My second reaction is that it's frustrating that it doesn't lead to answers about what happened. There are still a lot of unanswered questions."
Several residents told AnnArbor.com over the weekend that they had long feared the swans would be struck by a car since they were so close to the roadway. It's unclear whether the DNR found any evidence at the scene.
Troy Ontko, who helped organize the reward and Facebook page for the effort, said the consensus today has been to continue offering the reward to find out what happened.
Stocking urged anyone who has information on the case to come forward.
"It was a tragic, unfortunate event," Stocking said. "I hope someone will come forward and put the community at ease."
DNR conservation officers will continue investigating the case and will follow up on tips provided by the public. Anyone with information can call the DNR’s Report All Poaching Line at 800-292-7800.
Comments
Roger G. Possley
Sun, Aug 23, 2009 : 12:39 p.m.
I have tried to get through all the finger pointing in these comments as to HOW the swans were killed & haven't been able to find any comments as to WHY the swans were always sitting/standing by the road in the first place. I have mostly ridden my bicycle through that intersection and admired the swans & have been in close proximity to them in passing. The one thing I noted last year was the amount of bread & buns tossed along the road by people. I thought to myself, "It is only a matter of time before they are mowed down by a careless or malicious driver (I knew a jerk kid in high school who would swerve off the road to try & hit anything he saw). Most people know NOT to feed wild animals yet this isn't the case with these swans. It's not "compassionate" or "caring" to feed wild animals no matter how hungry or grateful they seem to be. It disrupts nature & ultimately lead to these magnificent bird's death.
Chrysta Cherrie
Fri, Aug 7, 2009 : 8:40 a.m.
A repeatedly-posted comment that is not furthering the conversation in this topic has been removed. If you want to read our comment moderation policy or discuss comment moderation on this site, go to: http://www.annarbor.com/about/comment-moderation-guidelines-meant-to-cultivate-community-forum/
mongo
Fri, Aug 7, 2009 : 1:31 a.m.
The 5000 dollars should go to the Humane Society.To help other animals in need,they could really use the money right now
cathyh
Thu, Aug 6, 2009 : 2:32 p.m.
One of the posters below claims to have been standing right next to the DNR officer at the site, and claims to have personally observed a 1/2" through and through hole in the swan's head. That certainly sounds like a gun shot to me, and that certainly isn't a typical car accident wound. I think the DNR is trying to put a lid on something and pulling wool or maybe swan feathers over our eyes with the hit by a car story.
Cal
Thu, Aug 6, 2009 : 8 a.m.
Some people seem to be in real pain over this. Maybe they should take the money and have some sort of organized memorial service for the birds, and maybe even a plot in a pet cemetery, once the remains become available.
susan
Thu, Aug 6, 2009 : 7:40 a.m.
Oh come on! Swans are NOT nocturnal animals. Someone would have had to swerve almost into the wetland to have hit those birds who were most likely bedded down for the night since the last reported time seeing them alive was 9 pm by a birdwatcher and then found dead at 3:30 am. Unfortunately we will now never know who did this.
Fred Posner
Thu, Aug 6, 2009 : 6:25 a.m.
Regardless of if it should have been done, the bottom line is the cost of the investigation remains unknown. Knowing how our tax dollars are spent is of vital importance. Knowing how much it cost to investigate the death of the swans is unknown. Was it $10? $1000? $10000? This should be detailed and yes, it's important to check if the money was spent wisely. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. If the residents care about swans, it would be very nice to know if relocating them would be a cost effective measure that results in better use of our money as well as protection of animals. Also, it can justify funds going to other preventions of roadway accidents... like the Human Being killed on our roads less than 2 weeks ago.
fishjamaica
Thu, Aug 6, 2009 : 12:46 a.m.
Perhaps the reward money could be used to start a petition drive to outlaw Pullets. That way future generations of Roadside Trumpeters will be safe.
fishjamaica
Thu, Aug 6, 2009 : 12:41 a.m.
Amazing how it had to be deliberate! The car could have been going 5-miles per hour and if there wasn't enough clearance, bones were crunching. It is amazing they lasted that long, camped out on the edge of a busy intersection. Sure seems like a lot of censorship going on on this web-site. I've watched many comments disappear as fast as they were posted. Comments about comments that aren't there! Is this a case where "Your Voice" is not welcome if it isn't saying the same thing as everyone else?!?
julieswhimsies
Wed, Aug 5, 2009 : 9:25 p.m.
Black-billed Trumpeter swans are indeed endangered. They are quite rare. In this case it appeared the weapon was a car. There is a four way stop at this intersection. The individual who hit these birds had to have run the stop sign, was speeding or driving while impaired. I suggest the $5000.00 reward money be donated to the bird sanctuary who saved the baby swan and are now caring for it until it is ready to be released to the wild. The sanctuary's name is Mallard Marsh. As for all those people whining about how much taxpayer payer money was used in this investigation...get a grip! These beautiful, rare birds were not common "roadkill."
jcj
Wed, Aug 5, 2009 : 9:02 p.m.
Give me a break! Since upon further study we can't blame someone for shooting them now it was premeditated vehicular swanslaughter. When I saw the swans they were east of Parker on the south side. Which means a car would have had to pull away from the stop sign on the west side of parker it would have been at least 200 ft. If you don't think a car could do this damage in that distance you are wrong. There could have been a car traveling west on Scio Church with bright lights shining in the eyes of the east bound car. My point is unless whoever hit them fills us in we will not know how or why it happened.
Ken B
Wed, Aug 5, 2009 : 8:19 p.m.
A lot of snide comments below that seem to forget or not be aware that when the swans have been on the road shoulder, they have been about 50-75 feet from a 4-way stop intersection, virtually every time I saw them, which was multiple times a day. Hard to comprehend an impact with bodily damage, as described by the autopsy report, from any vehicle coming up to that intersection and preparing to stop. Striking something fast enough to do the damage observed (40mph?) and coming to a complete stop just over 1 second later(40mph=58 feet/sec)doesn't seem reasonable at all, unless the driver ran the stop signs, and was probably speeding to boot. Bottom line. The evidence doesn't seem to lead one to a benign acceptance of the deaths of these animals. Hopefully the investigation will continue until more facts are discovered.
Kevin Sharp
Wed, Aug 5, 2009 : 6:16 p.m.
The DNR is not only justified in trying to determine the cause of the swans' death, I would imagine they are required to do so. Trumpeter Swans are a protected species, the cause of death is/was undetermined, and the DNR should try and figure out if it was due to criminal activity. If it "looked" to someone from the DNR like the swans "might" have been shot, then as a tax-payer, I would like them to determine if that were the case -and find and convict the person responsible. I would expect that if they'd found a White-tailed Deer that appeared like it might have been poached -and there are a heck of a lot more deer than there are Trumpeter Swans around! Yes, the mistake was in sounding the alarm prematurely. Citizens, myself included, outraged at the thought someone might have shot the birds, were reacting to the initial reports. It sets off a very different dynamic to say, "we are in the process of determining the cause of death, and have not ruled out a shooting". Nonetheless, it is what is is -and hopefully we will know the true cause of death. Personally, I would MUCH rather know it was a sad, sad accident than to think someone in my community is so senseless and cruel that they would shoot or beat the birds to death. Unfortunately, and I hate to admit this, since I first noticed the swans there several years ago, I feared their days were numbered. They frequently rested too close to the road and were very tame around humans. I feared they would eventually either be run over or killed by someone taking a pot-shot at them. They were an easy target and there's always some yahoo willing to take advantage of an easy target. All in all, we were blessed to have had them in our midst for as long as we did and I, along with a good many other folks, will miss them. ps It helps to understand that these were Trumpeter Swans specifically. It is a species that was nearly extinct once and, through a great deal of effort, have been successfully reintroduced. That fact alone means a closer scrutiny is warranted than say a raccoon or 'possum. The majority of swans you see around are Mute Swans -a non-native and somewhat invasive species.
msufan
Wed, Aug 5, 2009 : 4:29 p.m.
Wounds on the aldult swans head appeared to have an entry and exit wound from a bullet. The CO on scene advised that it indeed looked like a bullet hole but would take the swan to a lab to be confirmed. Everyone knew this but media went crazy, claiming the swans were shot and strangled to death. We need more Conservation Officers!!!!!
roadsidedinerlover
Wed, Aug 5, 2009 : 4:25 p.m.
Maybe the $5000 can go to the Washtenaw Sheriff's Dept so they can patrol that corner! The idiots that drive through that stop sign and drive a hig rate of speed is idiotic! When I go through there, I am on my high alert for the morons who have no regard for human life and animal life. Please...SLOW DOWN!!!
Alan Goldsmith
Wed, Aug 5, 2009 : 3:36 p.m.
It looks like my comment about a 'grassy knoll' was removed following a comment about the DNR finding a "bullet hole" in one of the swans. Maybe I was a bit too subtle. My point was, from the first reporting of this story, there were a string of conspiracy theories-death by drunken hunters, runaway autos, club carrying lunatics, etc. that the charges and claims were beginning to sound like a meeting of the conspiracy theorists talking about the JFK murder. If anyone takes the time to go back and read the comments from the several articles on this topic, the theories were getting to be a bit over the edge. If that comment doesn't meet the a2.com standards, then I give up. Than
byrdwatcher
Wed, Aug 5, 2009 : 3:29 p.m.
Why would a child get hit because of a bad road - doesn't make too much sense to me. I guess we (and other people) just have a difference of opinion and that is why we are human beings. One thing I would like to comment on is some of these comments are very mean towards the community that cared for the swans. One cannot blame us for jumping to conclusion when a DNR officer reported initially it was a gun shot wound - we do not deserved to be ripped apart like some of you have. May you all find a little bit of heart inside you!
Fred Posner
Wed, Aug 5, 2009 : 3:20 p.m.
byrdwatcher, I'd disagree completely. If this investigation cost 5000, then I would be very upset about MY tax money going to it. That money could greatly improve a road that could mean the difference between a child getting hit or not.
byrdwatcher
Wed, Aug 5, 2009 : 3:06 p.m.
Fred Posner - Honestly, I don't see there being a TON of these investigations per say - so I would think this was reasonable and I for one am happy my tax money supports these kinds of situations when they arise. In regard to our roads that is a completely different matter - much of our tax money went to a huge upgrade/fix on US23 just a few years ago and that section is falling apart already - I would have to say poor workmanship there and the State should find better services (roads should last a little more than that even with our weather). Okay, enough about roads, that is off the topic. I still truly believe that there was neglect of some kind involved. I realize deer get hit all the time but they tend to run right out in front of you and other creatures tend to scurry pretty quickly - if you have ever seen these swans neither of these are the case, they just mosie along and one would have plenty of time to see them as they approach the FOUR-WAY stop.
Fred Posner
Wed, Aug 5, 2009 : 2:57 p.m.
byrdwatcher, it may be their job but they are state funded. The investigation uses resources and those are funded by taxes. If they go off on witchhunts every time a swan is hit by a car, then their budget can be appropriately reduced. Knowing how much this investigation cost will help you know how your taxes are spent. I'm sure most of us would be interested to know if that money could go to better uses, such as improving the roads on which the animals were struck.
byrdwatcher
Wed, Aug 5, 2009 : 2:39 p.m.
If one would read a few comments above - it is said that volunteers did pay for the swan to be put down and to rescue the baby - so none of your hard working tax dollars went for this "terrible" rescue (yes, I am being sarcastic with the word terrible). I for one would have no problem having a little of my tax dollars working for this cause - gosh only knows we waste much more of our tax dollars on many other non-essential programs.
Elena
Wed, Aug 5, 2009 : 2:38 p.m.
I rehabilitate orphaned and injured wildlife. I agree with the posts that indicate that someone had to be driving irresponsibly to injure the swans this way due to the proximity of the incident to the four way stop intersection. Rehabbers are often told stories by witnesses that present injured wildlife that they believed the driver intentionally struck the animal. It is possible (especially in light of some of these posts) that someone still committed an intentional illegal act of murdering these swans, even if it was not done with a firearm. I don't know if we will ever find out what happened to them, but I like the idea of the reward money being used to safeguard the wildlife in that intersection from traffic. Oh, and I am one of the residents that offered money for the reward. If someone intentionally harmed the swans, they need to be found. Why would it be called a "witch hunt"? Why would anyone have a problem with a person capable of this act being held accountable?
sottovoce
Wed, Aug 5, 2009 : 2:22 p.m.
The question of how much does this cost is relatively easy. It's the difference between doing this one procedure and not doing it. Assuming the public employee was on salary and not paid per procedure, the only additional cost for this one procedure would be supplies and wear-tear on equipment. I'd still like the people who "saw the birds as their pets" to pay for the service (not the memorial service), but the examination.
byrdwatcher
Wed, Aug 5, 2009 : 2:05 p.m.
Fred Posner - it is the DNR's job to investigate these situations. I don't think you have to worry about them knocking on your door asking for money to pay for this. Everyone who pays taxes in our state pays for state departments to be ran, in which the DNR is part of. For all of you that are thinking the community is crazy to be so concerned about the swans - for many who passed every day and night it was similiar to a pet. Just think how you would feel if your dog(s) or cat(s) were runned down by a vehicle ot killed with a blaunt force similiar to a vehicle?!?
Fred Posner
Wed, Aug 5, 2009 : 1:49 p.m.
Asking again... maybe can be reported... In this economy where people are suggesting raising taxes, how much did the DNR investigation of this cost the taxpayers?
Duane Collicott
Wed, Aug 5, 2009 : 1:32 p.m.
jh, you're right, and it turns out that what Barb intended to be a joke about "torches and pitchforks" turned out to be quite prophetic. If this event was an honest accident (which the apparent experts here have already ruled out), hopefully the person involved sees the comments here and has the sense to keep quiet about it. There's no sense in getting his or her house burned down as a result of a mistake. Did nobody learn the lesson about jumping to a conclusions? The article said the DNR is continuing to investigate it. Have you given any thought at all to waiting for the their report before making even more assumptions based on incomplete information?
byrdwatcher
Wed, Aug 5, 2009 : 1:25 p.m.
Okay, I will try not to be so demeaning on this comment - what I feel would help all parties would be coming forward to admit what happen - as said, an accident can be forgiven and coming forward may also help the person responsible in regards to regret or something. It would also bring peace to the community. One would think that if the incident is still being investigated and it was an accident it would be better to step forward than to be found by the DNR/law/etc.
lmarcotty
Wed, Aug 5, 2009 : 1:20 p.m.
Excuse me, but how is it now okay or understandable that these swans killed, even if it was with a car and not a shotgun? There is still a high probability that this was a deliberate act or done by someone who was driving drunk, it is still a criminal act to kill one (whether a misdemeanor or a felony), the person who did this is likely to repeat the behavior - it was a rotten, unnecessary, wanton act of cruelty. And for your information, you ever so thoughtful and empathetic souls, animals do feel pain and emotion. I'll be happy to refer you to a number of peer-reviewed studies demonstrating exactly that. It DOES matter how you treat them.
jh
Wed, Aug 5, 2009 : 1:16 p.m.
"For someone to hit these swans as hard as they did, they had to run the stop sign located only a few feet away." "I'd like to see the person responsible come forward, explain what happened, and take responsibility." "I can't see how someone driving legally (ie not running the stop sign at full speed) and unimpaired could have accidentally struck both adult birds." "To take out three swans like that, there is no way the person(s) was driving responsibly....one can be forgiven for a true accident BUT since the person did not report it when it first happened or is still not admitting to it - one would think there is much more to why they are hiding (such as intoxication of something, speeding, etc.) - whatever that is was illegal..." "WHO in the DNR made this statement? Whoever was that far off base to make such an idiotic statement probably should be fired." Um, I really would not recommend that whoever hit these swans with their car, or anyone involved in any way, subject themselves to the level of reasoning prevalent in our community. Unless they're a masochist. If it were me, I'd consider changing my name and hiding under a bed.
GravyElbow
Wed, Aug 5, 2009 : 1:12 p.m.
As one of the people there the day the DNR officer was picking up the birds. It was the DNR officer who said to the media that the Adult Swan at the side of the road was shot. He also sid this to passers by. I was right next to the officer when he examined the dead adult swan on the side of the road and there was a hole that was 1/2" above the swans eye and it went straight through exiting on the other side. The DNR are still investigating this as a Crime. Swans are protected. No one should be going that fast near a 4-way Stop intersection that they couldn't have stopped. To call the actions of concerned citizens looking for the truth is ridiculous. The communy should be applauded for organizing the rescue of the remaining cygnet. The DNR were not willing to rescue the cygnet. Volunteers did it. Volunteers paid for the Adult swan to be put down. It was a terrible thing that happened but from where I stand it brought our community closer and showed what is possible when we work together.
byrdwatcher
Wed, Aug 5, 2009 : 12:56 p.m.
This road is not a freeway nor a main travelled road so basically anybody who travels it knows about the swans. Anyone who does not travel it, one would think since the person(s) is not familiar with the road (and when it is dark out) would be going at a very responsible speed along with the fact they should have been coming to a stop or be leaving from a stop (4 way stop at the corner). To take out three swans like that, there is no way the person(s) was driving responsibly. I am sure I am speaking for many (or even all) of the swan supports, one can be forgiven for a true accident BUT since the person did not report it when it first happened or is still not admitting to it - one would think there is much more to why they are hiding (such as intoxication of something, speeding, etc.) - whatever that is was illegal and caused a beautiful family of swans to die. If this person is innocent and it was just an accident then it would be nice to hear them admit it and put the community at ease. It is still a CRIME to me because the person(s) is not accepting responsibility. A sincere, simple apology can go a long way.
sottovoce
Wed, Aug 5, 2009 : 12:46 p.m.
I'm not familiar with the intersection. Was the speed of the car in the DNR report...the real one, not the speculative/incorrect first one that the AAcom quoted as fact? I imagine a vehicle going 15mph will do serious damage. If the birds are valuable, then residents should put up money to help protect them...at least give the State some money for the cost of the necrospy.
Sara Christensen
Wed, Aug 5, 2009 : 12:45 p.m.
I'm frankly surprised that this puts anyone at ease. There's a 4-way stop at that intersection and I've never seen those swans more than 50 yards from the intersection. Those birds move a lot more slowly than some raccoon darting into the road, the adults were far bigger than full size raccoons, and the adults were white so they should have been fairly easy to see even at night. So perhaps it wasn't premeditated or malicious, but I can't see how someone driving legally (ie not running the stop sign at full speed) and unimpaired could have accidentally struck both adult birds. These birds were not raccoons. Trumpeter swans, while perhaps no longer considered endangered, are rare. They're extremely rare in this part of the country. It's very sad that we've lost them and I'd like to see the person responsible come forward, explain what happened, and take responsibility.
Warbler
Wed, Aug 5, 2009 : 12:32 p.m.
I'm afraid your suggestion of putting up a sign would not have helped in this case. For someone to hit these swans as hard as they did, they had to run the stop sign located only a few feet away. I'm mean, come on. If they can't see a stop sign......
sottovoce
Wed, Aug 5, 2009 : 12:24 p.m.
And now for something completely different. Use the $5k for a road sign to warn others about the animal crossing...unless people just want punishment and not prevention.
Warbler
Wed, Aug 5, 2009 : 12:01 p.m.
A predator would have eaten at least one of the swans. That's what they do, they hunt, they kill, they eat.
Duane Collicott
Wed, Aug 5, 2009 : 11:57 a.m.
@davetrollson - Perhaps that's why one one commenter mentioned "pullet holes." That is, holes caused by young, female chickens.
davetrollson
Wed, Aug 5, 2009 : 11:52 a.m.
Has anyone considered the possibility that these animals were not killed by a human, but in fact killed by a predatory animal?
TMM
Wed, Aug 5, 2009 : 11:37 a.m.
When I first heard of the death of these swans, I felt sick - not because of who or what might have killed them, but becasue these graceful creatures were no more. My first thought was that a car hit them, given their proximity to the road, but then the reports indicated that at least one of the birds had holes in their head. That led me to believe that either someone had shot the birds or a predator had attacked them. I am so relieved to know that the birds were not shot. As Mr. Stocking is quoted in this article, it "restores my faith in humanity." It would have been nice if whoever hit the birds had phoned it in the the police, but maybe they didn't realize what they hit or the fact that the birds are protected. I am glad that I can set my 5-year old's mind at ease as to why she will no longer see the swans. With regard to the reward money, I don't understand why there were so many people judging those who contributed money toward a reward. When you're grieving and feel helpless, you do whatever you can, to feel as though you've made a difference. It was not determined that the people who contributed took money that was earmarked for another charity and instead diverted it to this fund - so why all the anger and judgment? Now that has been determined that the swans were hit by a car, maybe the money raised can go toward a charity, if that is the wish of those who contributed.
Jerseygirl0062
Wed, Aug 5, 2009 : 11:17 a.m.
Bullet or pullet holes should have never been mentioned. That is what caused all this unrest. It was reported here and on tv.
Cal
Wed, Aug 5, 2009 : 11:11 a.m.
It's nice to know there are a few people who see how ridiculous it is to raise $5,000 as a reward for those who might have killed some swans. For anyone who agrees that it's ridiculous and sees the DNR's role in this as similarly ridiculous, please follow the legislative initiatives to combine DNR with the DEQ. With your help it just might happen.
Alan Goldsmith
Wed, Aug 5, 2009 : 11:09 a.m.
Thanks Amalie. It would be helpful if the DNR didn't inflame a situation like this in the future with false claims. Looking forward to the follow up.
Duane Collicott
Wed, Aug 5, 2009 : 10:49 a.m.
How about if they take the $5000, raise a bunch more (by spreading another rush-to-judgement assumption like "they were intentionally hit by a car!") and use it to build a fence at that corner?
frenchfries
Wed, Aug 5, 2009 : 10:25 a.m.
There were at least three of us who suggested a car while everyone was busy judging their neighbors. It is sad that they are dead--I've never seen them--but as anyone who cycles a lot in this area knows, there is a ton of roadkill on Michigan roads. The forum sociology has revealed a serious rift in our community--one that was pretty obvious to me on the old AA News site (most of the comments that appeared there would have been deleted on the new site). The one difference is that on the new site, the more leftish comments were preserved and the reactionary ones deleted, while on the old site the reactionaries always out-shouted the lefties. You know folks, we're all in this together. Most university towns have town-gown issues, and I don't expect AA to be any different. We're pretty much stuck with each other, so we had better all start trying to be more empathetic. One theme of the last couple weeks is that cars--whether they hit cyclists or birds--are not toys. It is fitting that cars should be the symbol of damage given the state we live in. Can't live with em', can't live without 'em...
Alan Goldsmith
Wed, Aug 5, 2009 : 10:13 a.m.
From the August 4th A2.com article: "DNR officials said they believe someone used a firearm to fatally shoot the three swans in the early morning hours Saturday near the intersection of Parker and Scio Church roads, where the swans lived and mated for the past several years." WHO in the DNR made this statement? Whoever was that far off base to make such an idiotic statement probably should be fired.
Barb
Wed, Aug 5, 2009 : 9:56 a.m.
Geez, can you imagine how the person who hit them may feel at this point? They're probably peeking out their front door watching for pitchforks and torches.
Alan Goldsmith
Wed, Aug 5, 2009 : 9:55 a.m.
Hopefully, everyone can start devoting their resouces-- moral outrage, donation dollars and reporter assignments to more important issues.
glimmertwin
Wed, Aug 5, 2009 : 9:48 a.m.
It is too bad - I don't think anyone wants to see wildlife taken out by anything other than natural forces of nature. But if the driver steps up, do they collect the reward?
Fred Posner
Wed, Aug 5, 2009 : 9:43 a.m.
How much did this investigation cost taxpayers?
theodynus
Wed, Aug 5, 2009 : 9:36 a.m.
I notice a comment by another poster was deleted just now. It wasn't offensive or off topic...something about the witch-hunty nature of this thing. I know people loved the swans and it sucks that they died (even if swans are meaner than bears), but it's fair to point out the comedy in raising a $5000 reward to solve a crime that never even happened. BTW, back in 1996, I ran over a whole family of raccoons on Parker Road. I'm only coming forward in case there are any outstanding rewards for turning myself in.
Trek Glowacki
Wed, Aug 5, 2009 : 9:31 a.m.
Shocker. Total Shocker. No, really, NOBODY ever suspected that the death of the swans, while tragic, was just a car accident. And those same people were totally never shouted down by cries for the blood of our community's foul swan murderer. Maybe we can all now take @Jordan Miller's solid advice (http://www.annarbor.com/entertainment/the-deuce/theyre-just-swans/) and donate that money to some worthy, non-imaginary causes. @treetowncaretl ZING!
Duane Collicott
Wed, Aug 5, 2009 : 9:30 a.m.
It's an unfortunate event, still. However, there's also a lesson here about rushing to judgement. Also, I think swans should stop seeking the advice of opossums when learning how to cross a road.
Trek Glowacki
Wed, Aug 5, 2009 : 9:30 a.m.
Shocker. Total Shocker. No, really, NOBODY ever suspected that the death of the swans, while tragic, was just a car accident. And those same people were totally never shouted down by cries for the blood of our community's foul swan murderer. Maybe we can all now take @Jordan Miller's solid advice (http://www.annarbor.com/entertainment/the-deuce/theyre-just-swans/) and donate that money to some worthy, non-imaginary causes. @treetowncaretl ZING!
glimmertwin
Wed, Aug 5, 2009 : 9:25 a.m.
So this entire episode is the result of wildlife vs. human automobile. The article made the impression that there was something evil behind these fowl being killed. Does this mean we can expect to see stories of dead racoon families on the side of the road anytime soon?