Star City Council candidate suspends campaign as police investigate dog’s death
A candidate for Star City Council and chairman of the city’s Parks, Art and Beautification Committee has resigned amid a police investigation.
Matt Vraspir resigned his position on the committee and suspended his campaign for City Council, according to a Facebook post from Star Mayor Trevor Chadwick on Tuesday.
“The circumstances surrounding this resignation involves an ongoing police investigation,” Chadwick wrote on the city of Star’s Facebook page. “There is a lot of conjecture on social media right now. I ask that you please allow our police and prosecutor’s offices to do their jobs. I have every confidence in the work they do, and that justice will prevail.”
The Star Police Department is investigating a shooting of a family dog, according to the Ada County Sheriff’s Office and Chadwick. The city of Star contracts with the Sheriff’s Office for police services.
Carmen Garshelis, the owner of a golden retriever named Stanley who was fatally shot last weekend, has accused another man, not Vraspir, of shooting the dog. But Vraspir was involved, Garshelis told the Idaho Statesman.
A since-deleted Facebook post from Vraspir in a Star community group denied that. Garshelis provided a screenshot of the post to the Statesman. Vraspir wrote: “My heart breaks for Carmen and her family. This tragic accident should never have happened, but any insinuation that I was involved in any way is completely false.”
Vraspir did not respond to a phone call from the Statesman on Tuesday night and an email Wednesday morning.
Garshelis said the shooting occurred while she was out of town. She left the dog with the man accused of shooting him, she said. During her trip, she was told her dog had run away, she said.
In a separate post on the city’s Facebook page, Chadwick said the incident was reported to Star police as an accident. Idaho law would allow for a felony charge if it is determined the shooting was deliberate.
“Like many of you, I am disheartened, angered and dismayed to hear about the shooting death of a beloved family dog in Star over the weekend,” Chadwick said in a Facebook post on Monday afternoon. “It breaks my heart for the dog owner and the pup that this senseless act of violence has occurred.”
That post did not mention Vraspir or name anyone involved in the incident.
Chadwick said Star officers will send all evidence to the Ada County Prosecutor’s Office, which will make a decision about charges.
Said Garshelis: “This is wrong and I am hoping that justice is served for Stanley.”
Rachel Spacek covers western Ada and eastern Canyon counties. Have a story suggestion or a question? Email Spacek at rspacek@idahostatesman.com.
This story was originally published August 25, 2021 at 1:03 PM.
