Trooper has run-in with ‘fire breathing’ opossum

AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) – In tongue-in-cheek fashion, Maine State Police are talking about a trooper’s encounter with an opossum described as a “nasty, fire breathing type” of beast.

Trooper Eric Paquette helped remove the opossum from a car in Greene operated by James Feely.

In a posting on the Maine State Police Headquarters Facebook page Wednesday, the report says Feely had discovered the stowaway under his seat while driving. Paquette used his riot baton to persuade the “ferocious looking critter” to exit the vehicle.

“Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men?” The Trooper knows. Sometimes, we take a short break from fighting…Posted by Maine State Police – Headquarters on Tuesday, January 19, 2016

The post says no animals were harmed during the “investigation.”

Troopers used the incident to take a friendly dig at the state’s game wardens, noting that “every once in a while we get to do something relatively easy. You know, like what the Game Wardens do every day.”