PD: Man Charged With Hunting Under the Influence in Nye State Forest

Environmental Conservation police have arrested a Tolland man accused of illegally hunting while under the influence of alcohol in the Nye Holman State Forest.

EnCon police also said that 48-year-old Darin C. Hanna was hunting illegally and was in possession of a handgun that he was not permitted to own.

According to a police press release, Hanna was taken into custody Sunday afternoon after EnCon police said they located him in the forest — which is mostly in Ellington but also shares land with Tolland — around 3:30 p.m.

The officers were patrolling the area near Route 74 after they had previously found an elevated tree stand set up for hunting deer over an area bated with apples and corn, EnCon police said.

EnCon Police say they found Hanna in the stand with a crossbow and a loaded handgun, violating a state law prohibiting the possession of a firearm while archery hunting, police said. Hanna, who police believed was under the influence of alcohol, later failed a field sobriety test and was taken into custody.

Police also believe Hanna did not possess a valid Connecticut permit to carry the handgun. It is also illegal to hunt deer using bait.

Hanna was taken to the Troop C barracks where he was charged with hunting deer over bait, possession of a firearm while archery hunting for deer, hunting under the influence, possession of a firearm while under the influence, and carrying a handgun without a permit. 

He was released on a $10,000 bond and was scheduled to appear in person in Rockville Superior Court on Nov. 14.