A vacationing Jeep driver accused of deliberately running over 25 seagulls on a beach has been charged with animal cruelty.
James Shephard Travis, 64, was served with a subpoena at his home in Hawaii this week by the Pacific County District Attorney’s Office in Washington.
The seagull massacre occurred around 8 p.m. on July 27 at Klipsan Beach near Ocean Park, Washington, in front of shocked beachgoers.
Witnesses said the rented silver Jeep Wrangler was “veering from side to side, passing vehicles and stuck people” at speeds between 50 and 60 mph.
A mother and her nine-year-old son said they were nearly hit by cars while walking their dogs as the van sped down the beach.
James Shephard Travis, 64, is accused of deliberately shooting the birds while on vacation in Ocean Park, Washington, and nearly running over a woman and her nine-year-old son.
Police identified Travis after a witness took photos of him behind the wheel of the blood-stained car, with one of the birds still lodged in the grill.
Travis was identified by Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Police after a witness took photos of him behind the wheel of the blood-stained car.
Kim Ledyard McGee said she, his wife Bob and their friend Dorothy Howard witnessed the man speeding down the beach and swerving toward the birds.
“We watched him go through the flock without slowing down at all and without swerving to avoid any birds,” Howard told police.
Shortly after, they saw the Jeep coming back and Bob blocked it with his car, that’s when they confronted Travis and took the photos.
Travis was “in a daze,” “continuing to apologize in a quiet, monotone voice…appearing to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol,” the police report reads.
Witness Kim McGee took photos of the driver and the Jeep, which had pieces of seagulls lodged in the grille.
Travis was in town for the 1984 class reunion of Ilwaco High School, where his wife, Gena Snow-Travis, 58 (pictured), attended school.
“A few minutes later, he passed us again at high speed. After the third time, Bob threw our beat-up truck to the side right in front of him, forcing him to either hit us or stop,” McGee explained in a Facebook post.
“We went out and yelled at him… He even had a dead bird on the grill! After we got it out, he ran off at high speed.”
McGee took photos of the driver and the Jeep, which had pieces of seagulls lodged in the grill, along with video of numerous dead birds in the sand.
The trio collected three birds that were still alive to take to a wildlife centre for treatment, “but sadly they died in our arms.”
“It’s something that’s very upsetting and I won’t be able to unsee or forget,” McGee said.
The police report stated that “the seagulls had crush injuries consistent with impact with a vehicle.”
Photographs taken on the beach show two dozen dead seagulls.
Travis was in town for the Ilwaco High School class of 1984 reunion, where his wife Gena Snow-Travis, 58, was attending school and they were staying with her parents.
Pacific County Undersheriff Mike Wray was at the same gathering, a golf event, and told police he saw Travis there around 2:30 p.m. and believed he was intoxicated.
The couple, who have been married for 15 years, flew into Portland airport and rented the silver 2023 Jeep Wrangler 4xe plug-in hybrid.
The car was returned to Budget Rental Car around 8:30 p.m. on July 29 and police examined the car and found feathers still stuck in the grill.
Travis and his wife had flown back to their home in Honolulu, where Snow-Travis works as a real estate agent for Private Homes Hawai’i.
Travis is charged with first-degree animal cruelty (a class C felony) and reckless driving, and faces up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine if convicted.
Witnesses also took videos of numerous dead birds in the sand.
Police called and texted Snow-Travis repeatedly and she finally responded: “Thanks! I’ve given Jim the information. He’ll get back to you soon. Aloha.”
However, the police report said Travis never contacted investigators.
Travis is charged with first-degree animal cruelty (a class C felony) and reckless driving, and faces up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine if convicted.
“Travis was driving recklessly and at a high rate of speed, nearly hitting pedestrians and several dogs,” police said.
Prosecutor Craig Newman said Travis would be issued a summons to return to Pacific County and appear in court, or a warrant would be issued for his arrest and possible extradition.