CUMMING, Ga. — Police arrested a Cumming man for dumping the rotting carcasses of two beavers in the parking lot of a Title Max. The stench was so strong that it drove away customers from the loan store, according to authorities.
Officers were called out to the store on Atlanta Road in Forsyth County on Aug. 23 in reference to dead beavers in the parking lot. The responding officer said he found two large beaver carcasses, which had already started to decompose before being dropped in the parking lot. There were also three large clear plastic containers, a black plastic bag and a clear plastic bag. There were maggots and decomposition fluids inside the containers.
The officer describe the stench of the decomposing beavers as "atrocious" and said he could smell the carcasses inside his patrol car hours after the call.
The temperature outside at the time was almost 90 degrees and with two beavers sitting on the hot black asphalt only made the smell more unbearable, almost as if they were being cooked on the pavement, officers described. Along with the high temperatures, a midday rain came through town making things worse.
The officer spoke to an employee of Title Max who said he saw a green Toyota Tundra drive into the parking lot, dump the beavers and drive off. The employee was able to take down the tag number of the pickup truck.
The officer was able to track down the vehicle to 43-year-old Chad Artimovich, of Cumming. The Title Max employee told the officer Artimovich owed Title Max over $4,000 on a loan, and was 47 days late on payments, and the pickup truck is up for repossession.
After several phone calls, Artimovich agreed to come to the police station to talk about the incident. When he arrived, officers arrested Artimovich and charged him with illegal dumping.
Artimovich told the arresting officers he was in the U.S. Marines for 16 years where he specialized in reconnaissance. He also said he was on medication for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. After being booked, he was transported to the Forsyth County Sheriff's Office where he was turned over to detention officers.
The Department of Natural Resources will be following up with this case.
WSBTV
