He clearly had no eye-deer what was about to jump up in front of him.
A Texas sheriff’s deputy let out a startled, high-pitched scream after a deer he believed was dead on the roadside suddenly sprang to life — and the unforgettable moment was captured on camera.
The Trinity County deputy, whose name was not released, came across what appeared to be a lifeless deer along the road at about 11 p.m. on Aug. 28, Sheriff Woody Wallace said.
Flashlight in hand, the officer moved in for a closer look. But just as he approached, the animal popped back onto its hooves, sending the deputy scrambling away in full panic.
“It’s awake!” the rattled deputy shouted between piercing screams.
The shock did not last long. Within seconds, the officer regained his composure and was able to laugh at the wild roadside surprise.
“Okay, we’re good,” the deputy said with a chuckle.
After delivering the scare of the night, the deer bolted off toward the woods, disappearing into the darkness.
“Sometimes things can scare the heck out of a person,” Wallace said.
“Just another night shift where anything can happen.”
“Instead of a citation, the ‘suspect’ made a four-legged getaway and vanished into the East Texas woods,” the sheriff quipped.
The deputy’s hilarious — yet relatable — reaction amassed over 11 million views online.
“That scream!!! lol sir as your new friends on the internet were all taking you to a haunted house for Halloween this year!! I bet no one would finish it without laughing to death!” one person wrote.
“If this audio isn’t playing on loop in his briefing room they missed an opportunity,” said another.
Meanwhile one person simply said, “Hilarious! Send this to America’s Funniest Videos!”
“I’m pretty sure he screamed ‘It’s alive!’ as he beat feet back to his squad car! I feel bad for him, bc he is NEVER going to live that down,” joked another.
While many people online shared how they have “never laughed so hard” watching the deputy’s reaction, others were concerned about why the deer was lying motionless on the side of the road in the first place.
“We are happy to report that the deer was only stunned and got back on its feet after a few minutes,” Wallace said in an update on Thursday.
“We can also officially confirm there will be no deer meat served at the Trinity County Jail tonight,” he quipped.
