ST. CLOUD, Fla. – A Florida Highway Patrol trooper rescued a bald eagle Tuesday near the Florida Turnpike in Osceola County.
A Jeep Cherokee was traveling north on the turnpike when the eagle struck the windshield.
Trooper Julio Velez rescued the eagle and placed the bird in his car.
The eagle is recovering at the Birds of Prey Center in Maitland.
"Whatever speed the car was going I'm sure it was pretty fast on the turnpike and to bounce off the windshield and not be broken is amazing," rehabilitation specialist Diana Flynt said.
Flynt said the center is hoping the eagle will be healthier than when he arrived.
"We have a low blood level in his system which we're going to clear up. He's got some internal parasites. We're going to put him cleaner and happier and healthier and fatter than he was before he got hit by a car," Flynt said.
As for the officer helping to save the bird, Flynt is glad he did.
"Anybody that stops and cares for any kind of wildlife is a hero in my eyes," she continued.
The driver of the Jeep was not injured.