by Richard Simms
posted November 28, 2008
A suspected deer poacher was shot and is in critical condition in a West Tennessee hospital.
According to a news release from the Lewis County Sheriff's Dept., Tuesday night (Nov. 25) around 8:30 pm, Lewis County deputies were called to assist a Lewis County TWRA Wildlife Officer.
The un-named oficer said he had seen a vehcile spotlighting for deer and attempted a stop. The vehicle howwever fled at high speed.
Lewis County deputies caught up to the chase on Natchez Trace Parkway. At one point the suspect vehicle forced a deputy's car off the road.
The suspect's vehicle began smoking and slowed to a stop.
According to the sheriff's dept. release, "The Driver exited the driver side with his hands in his coat. Lewis County Deputies and the T.W.R.A officer exited their vehicles.
The driver was given verbal command by Lewis County Deputies to get down on the ground. When the Lewis County Deputy put his hands on the driver, the driver resisted restraint. The driver was identified as Robert "Bob" Allan Szostek.
At the same time, the passenger exited the passenger side with a long gun in hand and ran east up an embankment. Lewis County Deputies gave verbal command for the fleeing subject to get down on the ground. The passenger turned toward the three Lewis County Deputies and the T.W.R.A officer and pointed the long gun toward them.
One Lewis County Deputy fired his service weapon at the passenger and the passenger fell to the ground. The passenger immediately got back up and ran again. The deputy fired a total of four shots.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (T.B.I) agent was called to investigate.
The long gun was recovered by a Lewis County deputy and taken into evidence by the T.B.I agent. The T.B.I agent also took the Lewis County Deputy's service weapon into evidence as required in all on duty shootings.
The driver, Robert "Bob" Allan Szostek was taken into custody and charged:
by T.W.R.A officer with:
Hunting from a Public Road;
Spotlighting;
Hunting from a motor vehicle;
Hunting big game in closed season;
Felony Evading; and
Reckless Endangerment
by Lewis County Deputy officer with:
Possession drug paraphernalia
Reckless endangerment
Reckless endangerment
Reckless endangerment
Resisting arrest
Felony Evading
At 1:45 am that night, Thomas J. Szostek, called the Lewis County Sheriff's Department and spoke with T.B.I agent. Thomas J. Szostek reported he had been shot and was on Newberg Road. He had been shot one time in the lower side toward the rear and was taken by helicopter to Vanderbilt Hospital where he remains in critical condition.
Thomas J Szostek is charged with two counts of First Degree Attempted Murder by the Lewis County Sheriff's Department. Charged by T.W.R.A officer with Hunting from a Public Road; Spotlighting; Hunting from a motor vehicle; and Hunting big game in closed season.
The names of the officers involved have not been released.
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