A Berne man died this weekend in an off-road vehicle accident from traps he allegedly set up around pot plants on his own property. It may be just one of many marijuana growing operations to spring up in coming weeks in rural areas.
Appearing to be victim of his own traps, a Berne man became his own alert to police that marijuana was growing in the hills over Albany County. It’s a place Sheriff Craig Apple says can lure someone to plant pot.
“They go up there and they’ll grow marijuana on a lot of the state lands,” Apple said. “Fortunately hikers, people out and about, neighbors will call us and they’ll tell us.”
Around these marijuana plants — coyote traps, barbed wire and piano wire. The man was in his own fields, riding an all terrain vehicle, possibly while drinking Apple says, when one of those wires nearly decapitated him.
“We just hit September,” Apple said. “We’re getting close to harvest time. We’ll certainly get more calls.”
A lot of people ride ATVs up and down trails in Albany County and you may be surprised to learn just how dangerous that could be.
“There’s a lot of four-wheelers and a lot of dirt bikers up in the mountains of Albany County,” Apple said. “These kids, not that we condone it, they do run all over the place with their four wheelers.”
Farmers may set up traps on their land to keep ATVs out. The weight of the tires can damage fields.
“If some young kid lost his life here, now you’re going from a ridiculous possession of marijuana charge to a possible homicide charge,” Apple said.
The Albany County Sheriff’s Office is continuing to investigate the case.
