Texas Game Wardens Arrest Night Hunters Near Downtown New Braunfels

Texas game wardens have arrested two adults and two juveniles for killing three deer and firing as many as 30 rifle rounds in and around Landa and Prince Solms parks in the New Braunfels city limits.

“From the evidence we have developed, this appears to be a case of indiscriminate thrill killing,” says Capt. Jeff Carter, whose regional command includes Comal County. “On top of that, multiple rifle rounds were being fired at night in a populated area. The outcome of this could have been much worse.”

State involvement in the case began at 12:20 a.m. today when game wardens Nichole Leonard and Brent Satsky responded to a call for assistance from the New Braunfels Police Department. When they arrived on the scene a short time later, they learned that local officers had stopped a pickup truck near Landa Street and Paradise Alley while investigating a report of gunshots in the area.

Two dead bucks and one doe were found in the bed of the truck, which was occupied by two men and two teenage boys. When officers checked the vehicle for weapons, they discovered multiple empty shell casings on the floorboards. The game wardens arrested the four suspects and took them to the New Braunfels Police Department for further questioning.

After receiving permission to search the vehicle they found a .22 caliber rifle hidden under the rear seat. Charged with hunting deer at night and hunting from a vehicle on a public roadway, each offense a Class A misdemeanor, were Eric G. Johnston, 25 and Anthony E. Castillo, 39, both of New Braunfels. Both men were booked into the Comal County Jail in lieu of $3,000 bond each.

The two juveniles were released to the custody of their parents pending later prosecution.