Get Off My Pond: Man Fires Shotgun During Dispute With Fishermen, Police Say

ANTIOCH, IL — A 76-year-old Antioch man was charged after authorities say he fired a shotgun during a dispute with fishermen on a private pond Friday night.

Deputies with the Lake County Sheriff’s Office responded shortly after 9 p.m. March 21 to the 43000 block of North Lake Avenue in Antioch for a report of trespassing, according to a news release from the sheriff's office.

Theodore Cartner told deputies several fishermen were in a boat on a private pond on his property and were not permitted to be there, according to the news release. Investigators said the fishermen had accessed the pond through a public channel.

A verbal dispute broke out between Cartner, who remained on land, and the fishermen, who stayed in their boat. Both Cartner and the fishermen called the sheriff’s office during the incident, and while dispatchers were speaking with the fishermen, a gunshot was heard over the phone, according to the sheriff’s office.

The fishermen reported Cartner retrieved a shotgun and fired it, with pellets striking the water near their boat, police said. Cartner told deputies he discharged the firearm into the air in an attempt to warn the fishermen to leave and voluntarily turned over the shotgun to responding deputies.

After reviewing the case, the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office approved one count of reckless discharge of a firearm against Cartner, according to the sheriff's office.

Cartner was taken into custody and transported to the Lake County Jail, where he is awaiting his initial court appearance.