York County jury awards $219,000 after turkey shoot goes afoul

Thursday May 26, 2005

Contact: Mark Robinson @ 286-1993, or 332-3798 (cell)

Alfred, ME –A York County Superior Court jury awarded $218,821.10 earlier this afternoon to a Maine marine patrol officer for injuries he sustained two years ago in a turkey hunting incident. 

Marine Patrol Officer Richard LaFlamme was shot while he was turkey hunting on May 13, 2002. The incident took place off the Old North Berwick Road in Lyman. It was 6:30 a.m. and raining. Warden LaFlamme and a companion were set up calling turkeys. 

A third hunter, not associated with the LaFlamme party, mistook LaFlamme for a turkey and shot him. LaFlamme, an Arundel resident, suffered multiple pellet wounds, some of which remain in his body. At the conclusion of a three day trial the jury found Larry Innis of Kennebunkport negligent for failing to properly identify his target before shooting. 

“It’s an appropriate award, given the circumstance,” said Randall Smith of Smith Elliott Smith & Garmey, P.A., the attorney who represented LaFlamme. 

Attorney Smith is available for comment. The case was tried in York County Superior Court. Justice Paul A. Fritzsche presided. Smith is a partner at Smith Elliott Smith & Garmey, P.A, with offices at 7 Custom House Street in Portland and 199 Main Street in Saco. For information, visit www.sesgattorneys.com.

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