Indiana Conservation Officer Tom Skinner investigated a hunting accident in Carroll County on Sunday that sent one man to the hospital.

According to Skinner, Todd M. Combs of Delphi and Joe T. Irwin of Lafayette were hunting deer in the Rockfield area when Combs may have mistaken Irwin for a whitetail deer and shot him in the abdomen.

Irwin was transported to South Bend Memorial Hospital by a medical helicopter. At the time of the press release, he was reported to be in stable condition.

According to Skinner, it is unknown as to whether any criminal charges will be filed against Combs. Skinner suggested that Irwin was wearing a hat with hunter orange but it may not have met requirements to hunt in Indiana.

According to Indiana Conservation Officer Matt Tholen, to meet fluorescent orange or “hunter orange” clothing requirements, hunters must wear as an outer garment, exposed at all times, one or more of the following articles that are solid fluorescent orange in color - a vest, coat, jacket, coveralls, hat or cap. Camouflage-pattern fluorescent orange garments do not satisfy the requirement.