A former Fish and Game club of Vienna member sues the organization over alleged claims that the shooting range is unsafe and full of bullet casings that pollute the environment with lead.

The lawsuit was filed with the Trumbull County Court of Common Pleas. Plaintiff Daniel Trachman alleges the Fish and Game club did not properly address safety concerns following an incident where a bullet hit a nearby house's window in April of 2022. 

"I was hitting on the club saying you've got to call in the NRA in to do a range survey, make suggestions, and attempt to fix things the right way," Trachman says.

Trachman alleges his membership was revoked by the club after unsuccessful attempts to address alleged safety concerns.

Some Vienna officials claim the Fish and Game club made the necessary improvements to the shooting range following the April 2022 incident, including the addition of side walls to stop bullets from ricocheting.

"They instituted a requirement of paper targets only, the increased the height of the backstop by adding additional height to it," said Phil Pegg, a Vienna township trustee and member of the Fish and Game club of Vienna.

Efforts to get a comment from the Fish and Game club of Vienna or their attorneys were unsuccessful. 

The first hearing for the lawsuit is scheduled for Jan. 8, 2026. Trachman seeks an excess of $25,000.