SCIO TOWNSHIP, Mich. – A mated pair of trumpeter swans have made their home in the wetland area at Scio Church and Parker roads in Scio Township for the last several years.
This year, the pair had four baby swans, and early Wednesday morning, someone drove into them and killed one of the adults and all of the babies.
Investigators think the crash was deliberate.
"My daughters love the swans," Jason Sherill said. "We always slow down and watch them. They’re kind of like family to the area is the best way to say it."
Trumpeters are a protected species, so the DNR, the Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Department and the Huron Valley Humane Society are investigating.
The Sheriff’s Department said the vehicle involved is either a jeep or a pickup truck, and they have pictures of the tire tread, which shows the truck went off the road and nearly into the water to hit the animals.
There is a $1,000 reward for information in this case, which is a felony.
If you have any information, you can call the Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Department at 734- 973-7711 or the Huron Valley Humane Society Animal Cruelty tipline at 734-661-3512.