‘Jovial’ Clark man claimed unknown person shot, wounded him outside his home last week 

CLARK — It just didn’t add up.

A report that a Clark man had been shot and wounded by a prowler last week has been discounted by the Park County Sheriff’s Office.

Ronald James Derocher, 54, called 911 at 1:52 a.m. Oct. 21 to report a prowler at 37 Burns Road in Clark, according to a release from the sheriff’s office. Derocher said he had just been shot in the leg by an unknown assailant/prowler outside his home.

Park County Sheriff’s deputies as well as Clark first responders and an ambulance from Powell Valley Hospital were immediately dispatched, according to the release.

Derocher told deputies he had let his dog outside around 10:30 p.m. Shortly afterwards, he heard a commotion between the dog and a male voice, then several gunshots, he told them.

Derocher then said that he went outside with a baseball bat to investigate. He said he did not see or hear anyone but as he was kneeling to go through a gate he was shot in the leg.

However, deputies noticed Derocher appeared to be intoxicated and his demeanor was described as jovial or happy in nature, unlike someone who was reporting a prowler near his residence.

While Derocher did have a superficial wound on his left leg just above the knee, the wound was more consistent with an accidental discharge or self-inflicted wound. It was a vertical notch approximately three-eighths of an inch wide and 1 inch long.

He was treated at the scene by the first responders and the Powell ambulance crew.

Derocher continued to insist that he had been kneeling, going through a gap in the fence when he was shot from a distance of approximately 20 feet by an unknown male.

After repeated questioning about the incident however, Derocher changed his story several times and was inconsistent each time, the release states. When asked if he had a gun, Derocher admitted that he was a convicted felon and Wyoming statutes prohibited him from owning a handgun. No gun was located at the scene.

After an extensive search of the area Derocher claimed the shot came from, deputies could find no evidence of a prowler. During the entire interview, Derocher was happy and laughing about the issue and seemed in no way concerned that the shooter might be coming back again.

At that point, the deputies determined the report be unfounded. No charges for filing a false report will be filed, according to the sheriff’s office.