DPS sergeant helps save baby burro near Lake Pleasant after crash

PEORIA, AZ (3TV/CBS 5) — A young burro has hope for his future thanks to a Department of Public Safety sergeant after a tragic start to his life in Peoria. A driver hit and killed the day-old foal’s mother on state Route 74 near Lake Pleasant on Sept. 5. The young burro was also hit but survived with minor injuries and remained nearby. DPS Sgt. Roger Hansen was among the troopers and Arizona Department of Transportation staff who arrived at the scene. He knew the burro wouldn’t survive on his own in the wild, so, with help from ADOT, he called Stacie Thomas with One Step Wild Burros and Mustang Rescue in New River. She agreed to take the foal in if Sgt. Hansen could get him to the rescue, DPS said.

Hansen did this by loading the burro in the back of his patrol car and driving over to the New River rescue. Thomas matched the baby burro with a nursing mother burro. Since then, the little guy has adjusted to his new surroundings and started eating, playing and running around like a burro should. Thomas’ grandson also named the burro “Roger” in honor of Sgt. Hansen, DPS said. Once the baby burro is old enough to leave the rescue, he is expected to be adopted by a DPS trooper. For more information, click/tap here.

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