MENDOTA – An officer on patrol in Mendota during the early morning hours on Monday struck an owl that didn’t give a hoot a car was coming. Around 4:30 AM Officer Jose Raya was traveling eastbound on US Route 34 near Lori Lane when an unwise Great Horned Owl struck the windshield of his patrol car. The officer came to a screeching stop to begin a search of the surrounding area, and the owl was taken into custody but not deemed a flight risk. Sgt. Phillip Wire of the Illinois Conservation Police, who took the feathered victim to a rehab facility for examination, noted he couldn’t see any significant injury. No tickets were issued to the bird, later identified as Hooty Owl after the incident. Motorists are advised to let authorities know if they injure an animal with a vehicle instead of winging it so they can be rescued if possible.
