BRECKENRIDGE, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) – A beaver was spotted at the cross-section of Walker Street and Breckenridge Avenue around 4:40 a.m. Wednesday in downtown Breckenridge. Expedite driver and Breckenridge resident Stephen Harris caught the paddle-tailed pedestrian on camera as he returned home from a trip to Mississippi.

“I was coming home. I got here last night about 4:40 and I pulled up to the traffic light… At first, I thought it was a dog right there next to the curb and then I saw its tail and realized it was a beaver,” Harris recalled.

The wandering rodent appeared to be using the crosswalk to pass over Breckenridge Avenue but broke with his path when he saw Harris filming.

“Do you think that he appeared to be obeying traffic laws?” KTAB/KRBC asked.

“Well, he was on the wrong side of the road,” responded Harris.

The wrong side of the road, and the wrong side of the law said Breckenridge mayor and former policeman Bob Sims.

“He’s lucky I wasn’t in my black and white or I would have pulled him over,” Sims said.

With crosswalk buttons and signals at every corner, it is unknown what caused the beaver to break the law. Sims said this fur-clad felon’s flagrant disregard for safety won’t be taken lightly.

“Any Idea if he’ll be facing any legal ramifications for this?” KTAB/KRBC questioned.

“Well if I can find him I’ll call the chief over there. It’s in the city limits and we’ll let him handle that,” added Sims.

Following up with that tip, KTAB/KRBC sat down for an interview with Breckenridge Chief of Police Bacel Cantrell to find out if this kind of activity is common in Buckaroo country.

“Does Breckenridge have much of a problem with traffic law-abiding mammals?” KTAB/KRBC asked.

“For the most part, I think they all abide by them. This guy here had something different on his mind looks like,” explained Chief Bacel.

Why did the beaver cross the road? We may never know. But more importantly, could he ever be brought to justice?

“He’s probably long gone anyway,” Mayor Sims commented.

“The video that I watched was second hand and so getting a good description on it is gonna be difficult,” added Chief Bacel.

Thus, the case runs cold. Another cautionary tale from the crosswalk. and a town left shocked and searching.

“Yeah, it was shocking. something you don’t see every day,” Harris joked.

While we have had some fun with this story, Chief Bacel shared that any wild animals spotted in city limits should not be approached, and residents are advised to call city animal control at (254) 559-1194 to report the sighting if the animal seems to pose a threat.