Greene County man fired shot that hit ODNR wildlife officer, court docs say

Officer was investigating illegal deer hunting complaint

A 43-year-old Greene County man is facing a felony assault charge in connection to the shooting of an Ohio Division of Natural Resources wildlife officer who was investigating a deer poaching complaint.

Three men were in a pickup truck Sunday apparently looking for deer when they stopped after spotting a buck in the woods off Macedonia Road in Martinsville in Clinton County.

Brian R. Liming, of Caesarcreek Twp. southeast of Xenia, was in the woods hunting when he said he fired a shot at the buck, according to an affidavit filed Tuesday in Clinton County Municipal Court by Sgt. Doug Eastes, a detective with the Clinton County Sheriff’s Office.

“Mr. Liming reports he heard someone screaming, so he ran and he found a man with a gunshot wound,”Eastes wrote.

The gunshot victim, later identified as Kevin Behr, a 25-year veteran of the ODNR, yelled for Liming to call 911. Liming said he ran out of the woods and told another man near the truck to call 911.

“He then reports he got nervous and fled the scene on foot,” Eastes wrote. However, Liming later came out of the woods and turned himself in to a trooper.

Behr’s injuries were reportedly serious but not life-threatening, according to the sheriff’s office, which is investigating the case.

Our prayers are with Ohio Wildlife Investigator Kevin Behr and his family. Kevin, a 25 year law enforcement veteran, was...

Posted by Ohio Division of Wildlife on Sunday, December 20, 2020

A felony assault charge was filed Tuesday against Liming in Municipal Court, records show. He also is charged with a felony weapons violation and misdemeanors for hunting without a permit and for hunting on private property without permission.

Liming already harvested a deer in Clinton County and did not have a deer tag for another, according to the ODNR. Liming also has a felony conviction for aggravated vehicular homicide stemming from an October 2002 crash in Sugarcreek Twp. that killed his passenger, according to court records.

Thomas J. Davis, 35, of Jefferson Twp. near Jamestown, and Bryan S. Achtermann, 36, of Midland in Clinton County also were arrested Sunday.

Davis is charged with unlawfully aiding an offender in the offense of prohibited activities, a misdemeanor.

“Thomas J. Davis did aid Brian Liming by transporting him to a woodline on Macedonia Road near Martinsville Road with known intent to unlawfully hunt deer without permission from the land owner,” the affidavit stated.

Achtermann is charged with hunting without a license and not having a deer permit, both misdemeanor charges.

“Prior to Brian Liming discharging his firearm, Bryan Achtermann entered the property … with the intent to shoot any deer driven toward him by Brian Liming. Bryan Achtermann admitted to hunting with a license and deer tag,” the affidavit stated.

None of the men is in custody. All have Dec. 29 arraignments scheduled in Municipal Court.

About the Author