Trial date set for Lake Tahoe bear trap tampering case
kmacmillan@sierrasun.com
INCLINE VILLAGE, Nev. — Two women face an April 9 trial date on charges they illegally tampered with a bear trap this past fall on Lake Tahoe’s North Shore.
Cheryl Ann Morrison, 63, of Truckee, and her daughter, Season Marie Morrison, 35, of Reno, pleaded not guilty Tuesday in Incline Village Justice Court to misdemeanor charges of obstructing or interfering with a Nevada Department of Wildlife officer and tampering with a vehicle, NDOW Public Information Officer Chris Healy said Wednesday.
According to a Jan. 21 charging document from the Washoe County District Attorney’s Office, the Morrisons deliberately tripped a trap set to capture a nuisance bear at 787 Fairview Blvd. in Incline Village on Oct. 9.
Deputy District Attorney Amos Stege said a pretrial conference has been set for 9 a.m. March 19 at the Incline justice court. If no settlement is reached, the trial would take place in Incline Village.
Fines of $1,500 each are possible if the women are convicted, said Healy, who added that this marks the first time anyone has been prosecuted for tampering with a bear trap in Nevada.
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