A wild turkey decided to take on an SUV Tuesday morning in Laporte County-and inevitably lost the battle. La Porte County Sheriff’s Officers responded to the incident on US 20 near Wilhelm Road. As deputies arrived, they found a black 2016 GMC Yukon with a large wild turkey encased in the center of the windshield with shattered glass strewn all over the inside of the vehicle.
The vehicle was being driven by John Taraboczhia who was traveling with his wife, Corina, teenage son Ian and mother-in-law Maria Scrivanich.
The family was traveling to the University of Nortre Dame to visit their daughter Riana who was recently accepted their. While driving back to O’Hare International Airport, the family came across the turkey that flew straight into the windshield of their rental vehicle. Fortunately, the family only sustained minor cuts from the glass and refused medical treatment at the scene. The turkey was not as lucky.
The Laporte County Sheriff's office said in a statement, while vehicle versus deer crashes are common place, it is very rare to see a vehicle strike a turkey. The turkey’s mating season has begun which accounts for a lot of turkeys being spotted more often and close to roadways.
