Men fined $90 for unsafe deer rescue

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BALTIMORE, Dec. 21 (UPI) -- Two men who used an inflatable boat to save a deer trapped on ice in Maryland's Patapsco River got tickets carrying $90 fines as a reward.

Col. George Johnson, head of the state Department of Conservation police, said the boat or raft did not have legally required safety equipment on their boat and the pair ignored police orders to stay out of the water and then to return to shore, The Baltimore Sun reported. He said the men could have gotten into trouble that would have required others to risk their lives to rescue them.

Jim Hart and Khalil Abusakran, who both live in the Baltimore suburbs, say they will fight the penalties at a court date in February.

"I have full confidence that the officer on the scene performed his duties as required by law," Johnson said. "We are all very grateful that there was ultimately a safe outcome -- for the citizens and the deer."