Spotlighting charge against son of wildlife biologist dropped

MARIETTA, Okla. (AP) -- A spotlighting charge has been dropped against the son of an Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation biologist because he wasn't driving the vehicle and didn't have

Thursday, April 20th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

MARIETTA, Okla. (AP) -- A spotlighting charge has been dropped against the son of an Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation biologist because he wasn't driving the vehicle and didn't have a gun or a spotlight, a judge says.

Matthew Austin Wyatt, 16, was one of five teen-agers ticketed by a state game warden in October. The other four pleaded guilty, were given six-month deferred sentences and ordered to do community service.

Associate District Judge Charles E. Roberts said the other fourteens gave corroborating statements that Wyatt was an unwilling participant.

The court records said the charge was dismissed against Wyatt "in the best interest of justice."

Wyatt's father is Tom Wyatt, a 22-year department employee who is responsible for the Hickory Creek and Love Valley wildlife management areas near the Red River. The youths were caught at Love Valley, a 7,700-acre public hunting area.

Spotlighting constitutes shining a portable light or vehicle headlights into the woods and locating deer by the reflections of their eyes. Three rifles and spotlights were confiscated by the game warden; the five did not have a deer in their possession.

Tom Wyatt said he never asked the judge to drop the charges against his son and that he makes no excuses for his son's behavior.

"My boy's been punished at home," Wyatt said. "What he did was wrong, but I have a good relationship with him and believe what he tells me is the truth. He learned a valuable lesson that was almost worth all of this."