Talk about a wild encounter for one Massachusetts State Police trooper.
State police said Monday a trooper was driving through Tolland when an owl flew into the side of his cruiser.
The trooper, Michael O'Neil Jr., stopped and assessed the owl, which was unconscious. O'Neil didn't find any injuries, so he put the owl on his lap and started to drive to an animal hospital to have it evaluated.
By the time they were in Granville, the owl came to, and started to struggle to get free.
O'Neil said there was a brief struggle in the cruiser, but eventually the owl allowed him to give five concussion protocol tests, passing them.
The owl, which has since been nicknamed "Gronk," was eventually released, flying "to its home field."
