Charges filed in gull deaths

Published 12:08 pm Tuesday, August 20, 2024

SOUTH BEND — Formal charges have been filed in Pacific County Superior Court by the Pacific County Prosecutor’s Office against the man who allegedly mowed down gulls off the Klipsan Beach approach. He is scheduled to make his first court appearance on Sept. 13.

Identified as James S. Travis, 64, of Honolulu, Hawaii, he has been charged with first-degree animal cruelty, a class C felony with a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $10,000 fine, as well as reckless driving, which is a gross misdemeanor with a maximum sentence of 364 days in jail.

Gulls are protected under the Federal Migratory Bird Act of 1918, which makes it a criminal offense to cause them any harm.

According to court records, Travis was driving in a Jeep Wrangler with California plates on July 27 off the Klipsan Beach approach. He reportedly was driving at a high rate of speed and intentionally drove into a flock of gulls, killing 21.

Multiple witnesses confronted the man, and one even snapped pictures of the vehicle and him behind the wheel. The information was provided to law enforcement, which quickly identified the man after discovering the Jeep was registered to a vehicle rental company at the Portland International Airport.

“The Wrangler’s speed was estimated by one witness… at 50-60 mph,” Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife Officer Paul Jacobsen states in court records. “They stated they witnessed the Wrangler steer towards and plow into a flock of seagulls without slowing down.”

The witness stated, “It steered directly at a large flock of seabirds.” Another person said, “We watched him plow through the flock without slowing down at all, no brake lights, and did not swerve to avoid any birds.”

One of the witnesses also told Jacobsen that a dead bird was stuck in the grill of the Wrangler, which was captured in a photo by a witness after her husband blocked the man with their truck.

“The driver kept saying sorry in a quiet monotone voice,” Jacobsen states in court records. The witness who took the photos “stated in her reporting to dispatch that while interacting with the driver, he appeared to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol.”

Witnesses also observed Travis fly past two children and reported that he nearly hit a mother with a 9-year-old child and their dogs.

According to court records, Jacobsen contacted the Portland Police Department, which confirmed that Travis and his wife rented the vehicle. They were reportedly on the Long Beach Peninsula for an Ilwaco High School reunion.

“Pacific County Undersheriff Mike Ray arrived at my office and stated he had attended the Ilwaco High School reunion and recognized the man with [the IHS alumna] as her husband, and the same one in the pictures of the driver taken by Kim McGee,” Jacobsen states in court records.

Jacobsen located a Facebook account belonging to Travis that matched the information he obtained. He also located a number belonging to Travis’s wife and left a voicemail and texts wanting contact. Travis reportedly did not return the phone call.

The Observer will be in court on Sept. 13 to continue case coverage.

“We appreciate the prosecutor’s office taking it seriously and filing charges as fast as they did,” WDFW Capt. Dan Chadwick said.