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Expert: - 4/12/2008


Question
Hi. I don't mean to keep taking everybody off topic (maybe they should
launch a branch just for writers with questions), but Mr. Wagoner, you seem
like the perfect guy to ask.
  In my story's scenario, two people having an illicit affair are outdoors in a
wooded area, having a "romantic moment", we'll say, when a hunting party
shoots one of them by accident, and he dies.
  Now, the other, unharmed person runs away, and is not identified by the
hunters. If the shooter tells the sheriff that it really was an accident, and is
backed up by his hunting buddies, will the sheriff still try to find out who the
unharmed party was?
  The person who fled will NOT want to be found (it IS an illicit affair), but
there will be evidence left that she was there. Will they want her for
questioning? How persistent are authorities when there's a bigger picture
than just the open and shut situation, if the situation is a fatality?
  Many thanks.

Answer
Hi Ann,

Talk about being at the wrong place at the wrong time. And at the wrong moment! :)

The Sheriff would really make every effort to ID the other person. It would be a vital part of the case. They would use the media, DNA, any means they could think of. It is required to know who this other person is to really know what happened in its entirety.

A homicide, accidental or not, is the most important event we investigate. Someone's loved one died and if that was your brother, would you want the police to do every thing they humanly can? Of course. SO would I.

We would make every effort we could to try and ID the person who left.

Hope this helps.

Stay Safe.

Careers: Police

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Chris Wagoner

Expertise

I have been a police officer for 30+ years! I am the Police Academy Commander at the Santa Fe College, Institute of Public Safety in Gainesville Florida It is a full service Law Enforcement and Corrections training facility. I can answer most questions concerning law enforcement procedures, law enforcement training and general questions about law enforcment. I can also answer questions about becoming a law enfocement officer. I have a booklet and web page I have written that answers many questions about how to become a police officer called "So you want to be a cop (police Officer) in Florida?", which is free, Google it.. All you have to do is ask. I teach the following subjects: RADAR/LASER, Law Enforcement Driving, Law Enforcement Firearms and Patrol Techniques, Officer Safety, WMD's for Patrol Officers, Application of Law, Communications skills, Dealing with the Mentally and physically handicapped, and many more subjects. I have worked as a subject matter expert for the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and helped to write the police curriculum for the State of Florida. I like answering questions about how to become a police officer, and questions about why did an officer do this or that type questions. I also like answering any questions you may have about police work in general. I do not mind helping with homework questions or trying to answer your questions about legal subjects that I have knowledge of. You will never know the answer until you ask! If you do ask a question, PLEASE take the time to at least rate the answer. I do not get paid to answer these questions and do it on my own time. If you ask, please rate it when I answer. Thanks!!! If its a question about becoming a police officer, it may be answered here: http://sites.google.com/site/flaleohelp/ My "hobby" website - http://www.youtube.com/user/3rdID8487 Military Videos on YouTube and Facebook!!

Experience

I am a 30+ year veteran police officer, I am currently the Police Academy Commander of an Academy in North FLorida. I have been training police officers since 1993 and have trained them in all aspects of law enforcement, including firearms, Driving and legal subjects including patrol techniques and others and training all over the world. I have trained over 5000 officers worldwide in the last 16 years of training.

Publications
I am a published author in Accident Investigation from the University of North Florida, Institute of Police Technology and Management. Also have written and published on the Internet, "So You Want to be a Cop (Police Officer) in Florida?" you can Google it..

Education/Credentials
I have 2 degrees, in Criminal Justice.

Awards and Honors
Phi Theta Kappa, plus 50+ Departmental Awards over the years. FBI Directors award for assisting in a Nationwide investigation into Child pornography.

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