A bow hunter perched in his deer stand in Coweta County had to take cover on Oct. 23 after he said someone opened fire toward him, and authorities have since charged a 23-year-old Newnan woman in connection with the incident. No one was hurt, but the episode has left investigators piecing together what led two vehicles to show up at the hunter's property that day.
Shots Fired Near the Hunter's Truck
According to FOX 5 Atlanta, the hunter told authorities someone opened fire on him while he was in his deer stand, prompting an investigation by Coweta County authorities. A report from times-herald.com fills in more detail: people arriving in a white car and a green minivan reportedly walked up to the hunter's house and banged on the door before a woman fired six or seven shots. The hunter said he saw a woman with strawberry-blonde hair fire in his general direction and into the woods, and he took cover.
A deputy who responded to the scene found four shell casings near the hunter's truck, the outlet's report notes. No one was hurt, authorities said. The hunter later told investigators the incident followed a dispute over the relationship one of the women involved had with a family member.
Woman Booked, Then Released Two Days Later
Deputies located two vehicles matching the hunter's description, leading them to detain Haleigh Leeann Spradlin and another woman. Spradlin, 23, was booked into the Coweta County Jail the same day on charges of reckless conduct and possession of a Schedule III, IV or V controlled substance, per the same account. She was released from custody on Oct. 25, two days after her arrest.
FOX 5 Atlanta's coverage, reported by Doug Evans, confirms that a 23-year-old woman was arrested in connection with the case as Coweta County authorities continue investigating the shooting.
A Rare Occurrence During Georgia's Hunting Season
Shootings involving hunters are statistically uncommon in Georgia. The Georgia Department of Natural Resources has noted that with more than 200,000 participating hunters during the last deer season, the state reported only 11 firearms hunting incidents. This case differs from those statistics in that it reportedly did not stem from a hunting accident but from a personal dispute that spilled onto the hunter's property.
Other recent cases in Georgia underscore the dangers hunters can face in the field, though under very different circumstances. In Wheeler County, a 23-year-old was fatally shot during illegal hunting activity in September, with a man arrested and charged with felony involuntary manslaughter and related offenses, according to an account from 13WMAZ. Separately, NBC News reported that a hunter elsewhere was charged after fatally shooting a woman he reportedly mistook for a deer. Neither case is connected to the Coweta County incident, but both illustrate how quickly situations in the woods can turn dangerous.
