Gary R. Hunt

WARREN, Pa. — A former Pennsylvania police officer was killed in a hunting-related accident on Saturday in Columbus Township in Warren County.

Gary R. Hunt, 64, of Corry, Pa. was hunting for black bear Saturday with his nephew, Bradley Cascavilla of New Castle, on State Game Lands 197, according to a Pennsylvania Game Commission release.

According to the release, Cascavilla was crossing a creek with Hunt behind him shortly after noon. Cascavilla “tripped or slipped and the firearm discharged behind him into the victim.”

“Based on the preliminary investigation it was just a horrible accident,” Wildlife Conservation Officer Supervisor Jason Amory said Monday.

Amory said there is no indication that there will be charges filed in relation to the incident.

When there is a game commission investigation, the investigating officer has 10 days to complete the investigation, Amory said. Charges can be filed in cases, for example, where it is determined that the party at fault was negligent.

That does not seem to be the case in this incident, he said.

“It’s just sad all the way around,” he said. “A good man. He’s a retired police officer from Corry. He worked for one of our deputies.”

Hunt served with the Corry department for more than 25 years, according Cpl. Brett Sproveri, retiring at the rank of lieutenant at the end of February 2020. He had also served as a police officer in Florida before serving in Corry.

“I was speechless,” Sproveri, a personal friend of Hunt, said. “It was heartbreaking. It was surely a tragedy.”

“Just an overall great guy,” he said of Hunt. “Loved helping out the community. Very compassionate. Very understanding. Did things by the book.”

Hunt was regularly voted favorite officer by the Corry community, Sproveri said. “He’s going to be missed by the community, by the department. He was liked by all of his peers.”

“I feel for the family,” he said. “The department feels for the family.”