Man caught with owl he illegally bought for $100 after driving high on meth, cops say
A man accused of driving high on meth was caught with an owl he purchased illegally at an Arizona gas station for $100, police said.
Officers from the Payson Police Department found a young owl sitting next to the driver during an early morning traffic stop on Wednesday, Nov. 9, a Facebook post from the department said.
Police learned the man had just purchased the owl from strangers at a gas station, who said they found the animal “along the roadway,” police said.
“Wildlife should remain wild,” the department wrote. “It is illegal to possess, transport, buy, or sell wildlife unless expressly permitted by Arizona Revised Statutes (ARS 17-309).”
“We support this message. Keep wildlife wild,” the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service commented on the post.
The police department went on to warn against the use of methamphetamine, urging the public “not to use methamphetamine or you too may find yourself illegally purchasing a wild owl, for $100 dollars, in the middle of the night, from strangers, at a local gas station,” Payson police wrote.
The man was arrested on a number of charges, including aggravated DUI, possession of methamphetamine and possession/transport/purchase of wildlife, according to police.
The owl had minor injuries, preventing its release to the wild, police said. Arizona Game and Fish took over caring for the bird.
Payson is about 90 miles northeast of Phoenix.
This story was originally published November 11, 2022 at 11:28 AM with the headline "Man caught with owl he illegally bought for $100 after driving high on meth, cops say."
