| Columbia County Sheriff's Office |
David W. Harrison, Jr., SHERIFF James R. Sweet, UNDERSHERIFF
| Copyright ©2006 Columbia County Sheriff's Office, Hudson, NY 12534 |
FATAL HUNTING ACCIDENT
December 07, 2009
Austerlitz, NY – Columbia County Sheriff David Harrison, Jr. reports that on Sunday, December 6th at 3:29pm
Deputy Sheriff Jeffrey Hofstetter responded to assist Spencertown EMS and Copake Rescue Squad who had
been dispatched for the report of a hunter who had fallen from a tree stand and possibly in Cardiac Arrest, in a
wooded area off Rte 71 near the intersection with state route 22. Rescue personnel located the individual and
confirmed that he had been deceased for a substantial period of time.
The deceased is identified as 59 year old Randolph Seifert of route 23 Hillsdale, NY and formerly of Gt.
Barrington, MA.
Further investigation by the Sheriff’s Office, Coroner Angelo Nero and Environmental Conservation Police
determined that Mr. Seifert had been hunting Saturday December 5, 2009, and as he was climbing into a tree
stand he placed a 12 Gage shotgun on a hook in the tree through the trigger guard of the weapon. It appears
that as he placed the Shotgun on the hook through the trigger guard the hook struck the trigger, discharging the
weapon striking Mr. Seifert in the upper part of his body with a 12 Gage Slug. The weapons safety was not in the
safe position.
Mr. Seifert was found on the ground at the bottom of the tree by another hunter on Sunday at about 3:29PM and
immediately called 911.
Sheriff Harrison reports that Mr. Seifert’s death appears to be accidental however, the investigation is continuing.
An autopsy is scheduled for today at the St. Peter’s Hospital by Pathologist Dr. Jeffrey Hubbard.
On the scene for the Sheriff’s Office in addition to Deputy Sheriff Hofstetter and Coroner Nero were Sergeant
Michael Merante, Sr/Inv Kevin Skype, Investigator Anthony Brahm, Undersheriff James Sweet and Captain David
Bartlett, Environmental Police Officer Peter Brinkerhoff and Environmental Police Investigator Jesse Paluch.
The Sheriff’s Office Utility All-Terrain Vehicle was brought to the scene and was utilized along with the Utility All-
Terrain Vehicle of the Austerlitz Fire District, who remained to assist with transporting law enforcement personnel
and equipment to the scene which was approximately on half mile from Rte 71.
December 07, 2009
Austerlitz, NY – Columbia County Sheriff David Harrison, Jr. reports that on Sunday, December 6th at 3:29pm
Deputy Sheriff Jeffrey Hofstetter responded to assist Spencertown EMS and Copake Rescue Squad who had
been dispatched for the report of a hunter who had fallen from a tree stand and possibly in Cardiac Arrest, in a
wooded area off Rte 71 near the intersection with state route 22. Rescue personnel located the individual and
confirmed that he had been deceased for a substantial period of time.
The deceased is identified as 59 year old Randolph Seifert of route 23 Hillsdale, NY and formerly of Gt.
Barrington, MA.
Further investigation by the Sheriff’s Office, Coroner Angelo Nero and Environmental Conservation Police
determined that Mr. Seifert had been hunting Saturday December 5, 2009, and as he was climbing into a tree
stand he placed a 12 Gage shotgun on a hook in the tree through the trigger guard of the weapon. It appears
that as he placed the Shotgun on the hook through the trigger guard the hook struck the trigger, discharging the
weapon striking Mr. Seifert in the upper part of his body with a 12 Gage Slug. The weapons safety was not in the
safe position.
Mr. Seifert was found on the ground at the bottom of the tree by another hunter on Sunday at about 3:29PM and
immediately called 911.
Sheriff Harrison reports that Mr. Seifert’s death appears to be accidental however, the investigation is continuing.
An autopsy is scheduled for today at the St. Peter’s Hospital by Pathologist Dr. Jeffrey Hubbard.
On the scene for the Sheriff’s Office in addition to Deputy Sheriff Hofstetter and Coroner Nero were Sergeant
Michael Merante, Sr/Inv Kevin Skype, Investigator Anthony Brahm, Undersheriff James Sweet and Captain David
Bartlett, Environmental Police Officer Peter Brinkerhoff and Environmental Police Investigator Jesse Paluch.
The Sheriff’s Office Utility All-Terrain Vehicle was brought to the scene and was utilized along with the Utility All-
Terrain Vehicle of the Austerlitz Fire District, who remained to assist with transporting law enforcement personnel
and equipment to the scene which was approximately on half mile from Rte 71.