/ 15 September 2008

Austrian hunter mistakes car for wild boar

An Austrian hunter tried to shoot down a parked car, mistaking it for a wild boar late on Friday near Schmiedrait, in eastern Austria, national news agency APA reported.

The 67-year-old man said he had briefly dozed off in his watchtower, about 80m from where the car was parked, and upon waking up, thought the vehicle was wild game and shot at it.

Blood alcohol tests revealed the hunter was not intoxicated, local police reported.

The 19-year-old driver, who had parked his car on a forest path after breaking down on the main road, was standing near the vehicle with his brother, when it was shot at.

The bullet went through the car but nobody was injured in the incident.

The hunter was to be cited for causing potential bodily harm. — AFP