AR-News: AZ - Hunter shoots arrow into boy's heart

[Joe Miele]

Man indicted after hunting arrow shot into heart of young relative


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.

Information from: Tucson Citizen, http://www.tucsoncitizen.com