Ultimately, it wasn’t the Thunderdome that got the Coma’s feathery Road Warrior but a bureaucrat.
Coma Animal Control on Monday euthanized a turkey that for weeks had caused traffic problems on Route 12 near Daschle Farm west of downtown.
The turkey, dubbed Mad Max by local motorists, had been darting across Route 12 for weeks, causing traffic delays.
“This wild animal presented an unprecedented disturbance for Route 12,” said Town Councilwoman Natalie Peters, who almost crashed her BMW i series sedan with massaging leather seats trying to avoid Max.
Coma Animal Control, along with the Coma Sheriff’s Office, had tried to wrangle in the turkey and relocate him, but several attempts were unsuccessful.
Sheriff Paul T. Frostnib said officers had received many complaints from residents over the past few weeks about turkeys roaming the neighborhoods.
It’s mating season for turkeys, he said, and they’re generally attracted to shiny objects, such as mirrored buildings and speeding cars.
Still, some Coma residents are not happy about how Animal Control handled the situation.
“They could have done something more humane to solve the problem– like letting our shoppers enjoy this locally sourced guilt-free indulgence for around $20 a pound,” said Bob Smith, owner of Bob’s Organic.