Recently, Crime Stoppers in Fulton County issued an alert asking the public for help in identifying the person responsible for lighting a deer on fire.

It was back on Feb. 16 when a vehicle struck the deer on State Road 25 north of Rochester. Investigators say someone poured an accelerant on the animal, then lit it on fire and left it to die. The Fulton County Sheriff’s Department found the deer alive, but the animal had to be put down. Investigators believe they are looking for a blue or black GM model, possibly 1992-2002 Camaro, Trans-Am, or Firebird, based on car parts left at the scene.

The story prompted our partners at WOWO to ask the question: What do you do if you hit a deer with your car? DNR Conservation Officer Jon Boyd says call 911 immediately. “Don’t approach the deer, call police… they will send an officer out and they can help dispatch the deer so it’s not suffering or they can call a conservation officer if needed.”

If you fail to call police and further harm the deer, Boyd says, you could be charged with a crime.  “The thing you don’t want to do is approach it and absolutely the last thing you want to do is shoot the deer or kill the deer in some way,” said Boyd. “You could actually be charged by the law with a crime.”

He does warn that deer are still moving this time of year, so he’s encouraging drivers to remain alert with traveling.

Meanwhile, anyone with information regrading the Feb. 16 incident is asked to contact the Fulton County Sheriff’s Department Crime Stoppers unit at 223-7867 or Indiana Conservation Officers’ Turn in a Poacher Line at 1-800-TIP-IDNR.

• RELATED: Police looking for driver who struck deer, set animal on fire and left it for dead