Associated Press
Mar. 20, 2004 04:50 PM
TUCSON, Ariz. - A Tucson man has been indicted on two
felony child abuse charges after he allegedly shot a hunting arrow into the
heart of an 8-year-old relative.
Valentino James Pugnea, 45, was charged in the Dec. 14
incident in which the boy was impaled but recovered after surgery.
According to the Pima County Sheriff's Department, two
arrows were shot and Pugnea told one deputy the boy shot the first arrow.
But Pugnea told another deputy that he shot both arrows.
Pugnea insisted to deputies he was standing in his garage,
shooting at a cactus, and was not aware the boy was behind the cactus,
looking for another arrow.
He told deputies he was an experienced bow and rifle
hunter and had taken hunter safety courses.
The boy told deputies Pugnea had been teaching him to use
the bow and arrow and fired one arrow into some trees.
The boy said he told Pugnea he was going to fetch the
arrow, though Pugnea and another boy told deputies they thought the injured
boy had gone into the house.
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