Fleeing suspect brought down by skunk

Lewiston, Maine _ Police who were chasing a man after a traffic stop got an unlikely assist from a skunk, who sprayed the suspect in the face.

Kenneth Rideout, 32, was nailed after he ran into the woods Tuesday night. He was wanted for violating release conditions stemming from a domestic assault.

The skunk didn't stop Rideout but it slowed him down enough that police officers were able to catch up with him.

"It was powerful enough to pretty much incapacitate him," said police Lt. Tom Avery.

Officer Eric Syphers arrested the smelly suspect. The squad car reeked by the time the prisoner arrived at the police station.

"Sometimes we get help from where we don't expect it," Avery said. "We're calling this skunk Officer Pepe LePew."

-- Anonymous, April 13, 2002

Answers

Lends new meaning to the phrase, "He got skunked"! Used to smell them a lot in West Texas, Arkansas and Louisiana but rarely sense their presence here in NC.

-- Anonymous, April 14, 2002

There is a plant around here [fortunately not too close to home!] called Skunk Cabbage. When it blooms.....UGH!

-- Anonymous, April 14, 2002