Three of four hunters in confrontation to appear in court
SUBLETTE COUNTY – Three of four out-of-town hunters charged with confronting a Big Piney man and his family on Oct. 18, 2020, are scheduled to have their Circuit Court arraignments via videoconference on Tuesday, Jan. 19.
They are Adam J. Angelovic, Casey F. Trujillo and Phillip J. Peterson. Angelovic faces three misdemeanors – stalking to harass or threaten, battery and criminal entry into a vehicle. He allegedly hit Lowell T. Hunt, of Big Piney, through his truck window, records show.
Trujillo was charged with misdemeanors of stalking, unlawful contact and false imprisonment.
Peterson is charged with unlawful contact and false imprisonment for willfully restraining Hunt during the hunting season confrontation. He is also charged with four counts of reckless endangering for pointing a gun in the direction of Hunt, his wife, stepdaughter and a child.
Another man interviewed after the Oct. 18 confrontation is the fourth to be charged for his alleged participation. Jonathon R. Crooks faces four misdemeanors counts of reckless endangering with a firearm.
All of the charges are misdemeanors.
Crooks and his wife were with the group of out-of-town hunters that included Trujillo, Angelovic and Peterson, who allegedly stopped, confronted, harassed and tried to fight Hunt and three family members in his truck on Oct. 18.
Angelovic and Hunt argued last July after Hunt threatened to take care of two dogs running loose through his camp near Apperson Creek. The dogs belonged to Angelovic
The men allegedly drove through Hunt’s hunting camp, then chased after him when he drove around two of their trucks blocking Middle Piney and Dry Piney roads.
Deputy Greg Kemp and another deputy investigated a report of an assault around 8:30 p.m. Oct. 18 at Hunt’s camp. Hunt said he and his family were coming back to camp after elk hunting and when he went around their two parked trucks, five men tried to pull him out. His family pulled to keep him in the truck and the incident was recorded on phones, according to the deputy’s affidavit.
The men would not leave so Hunt pulled out his 7-mm rifle, fired toward them and drove away, he said. Hunt told the deputy he and his wife were attacked by a couple of dogs last summer. He confronted their owner, Angelovic; the men referred to “the dog incident” while surrounding his truck, he said.
Another family member said the truck, with Trujillo at the wheel, came through camp several times earlier that day with the men screaming and “burning out.”
Deputies interviewed six people and also watched the videos, which resulted in the four men’s charges. Hunt said he and his wife both had their hunting rifles pointed out the windows to defend themselves.