Traffic on Interstate 85 in Alabama came to a sudden stop Tuesday when a kangaroo named Sheila made a break for it. The animal was spotted hopping through Macon County after escaping from a nearby petting zoo, and the chaos that followed brought the highway to a standstill.
Drivers swerved and slammed brakes to avoid the runaway roo, but two cars still ended up crashing as people tried to get a look. The wreck forced police to shut down part of the interstate.
Sheila wasn’t hurt and didn’t cause the crash directly, but her surprise appearance on the busy road created enough distraction to spark it. State troopers tracked her down and used a tranquilizer to safely catch her.
“She’s back home safe. She’s up. She’s not sedated anymore. She’s eating. She’s drinking. She’s not injured,” said Patrick Starr, her owner. Starr runs a pumpkin patch and petting zoo nearby and said Sheila is more pet than exhibit. “She’s a sweet pet. I’m glad she’s back home, and I’m glad everybody slowed down a little bit,” he said.
Macon County Sheriff Andre Brunson was just as stunned as the drivers. “When somebody said there was a kangaroo of course I didn’t believe it, and nobody believed it. But I’m looking at him,” he said. “We see a little bit of everything here.”
The interstate reopened after Sheila was captured. No serious injuries were reported, but the sight of a kangaroo on the loose in Alabama won’t be forgotten anytime soon.
Catch the moment Sheila stunned drivers in the wild footage below.
