Rescued Osceola County bald eagle released back into wild

OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. — A bald eagle who flew into a Jeep on the Florida Turnpike was back into the wild on Friday.

The eagle was found on the side of the road in October when Florida Highway Patrol Trooper Julio Velez rescued the bird and put it in the back of his squad car until help arrived.

The eagle was released at a golf course in St. Cloud Friday, a site chosen because it was near where the bird was found and not near other bald eagle nests, officials said.

Velez said he stopped to rescue the injured bird from the roadway because he was worried it would get hit by a car.

For nearly a month, volunteers rehabilitated the animal at the Audubon Center for Birds of Prey in Maitland.

It was suffering from muscle soreness and internal injuries, officials at the center said.

Velez, who recently had unrelated shoulder surgery, said the eagle didn't seem to initially appreciate the rescue.

"He scratched me here, grabbed me," he said, referring to his right arm.

Velez hoped that the eagle's story would inspire people to give a helping hand in their lives, because there are "still a bunch of good people out here willing to help anyone out in a time of need."

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