Belle Plaine man pleads guilty to manslaughter
June 26th, 2008A Belle Plaine father pleaded guilty to second degree manslaughter Thursday for accidentally shooting his eight-year-old son while turkey hunting April 19.
Anthony Klaseus, 40, had also been charged with reckless discharge of a firearm, trespassing, and hunting turkeys without a license. Klaseus accepted a plea agreement, in which he agreed to plead guilty to the manslaughter charge while the other three charges were dropped.
Klaseus’ son, Hunter, who was dressed in camouflage, was killed in the accident. His father reportedly mistook him for a turkey. The accident happened about 5 p.m. on a field in Faxon Township, approximately three miles west of Belle Plaine.
A breath test administered at the scene showed Klaseus had a blood-alcohol concentration of .06 percent. A urine test showed an unspecified amount of marijuana in his system.
Sentencing for Klaseus is scheduled for August 25 at 1 p.m.
