Police Hunting Down Lion

WBNS 10TV ^ | 5-4-2004 | WBNS 10TV

[smith288]

Police Hunting Down Lion

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Gahanna police spent the morning on the prowl and poised for a fight, just in case they ran into a lion on the loose.

There are three confirmed sightings of the lion, but police say she never surfaced Tuesday.

The first sighting came from a Columbus police officer around 8 p.m.; he saw the lion crossing Taylor Road near Taylor Station Road.

The second came from a courier, who saw her off Technology Drive.

The last confirmed visual was from some CSX workers who spotted the lion on the railroad tracks heading toward the airport.

One eyewitness says, "You know how lions just stroll, that's how it was. Were all in the office and I said. 'There it is.' With his tail up in the air, it was a lion."

Jim is sure he saw the animal out his kitchen window. He says, "There is no way this could have been a great big dog. No. The legs were different."

A whole crowd believes it was a lion up on the hill on Claycraft Road.

"It was definitely [a lion]. It was too big to be a dog and it wasn't a deer," says resident Tiffany Kelly.

In the Gahanna neighborhood near last night's sightings, the lion was topic one Tuesday.

Jane Alden kept the kids inside all day, explaining, "I'm not comfortable with it roaming around with all these woods around here."

Dennis Green of Gahanna chose to go outside instead. "We've got a wedding coming up and I've got to get the place ready," he says.

Another resident chose to mow his lawn. Coby Utterman says, "I figured an animal that size would be afraid of a lawnmower."

Everyone, both adventurous and cautious, are wondering where she is and hoping no one gets hurt, including the elusive lion.

So what are the laws about having exotic animals in Ohio? People at the Columbus Zoo say the state code is essentially silent.

"It requires no license or permit to really own an animal like that or to transport one across the state. You don't even have to live here, but just to driving through with an animal in your vehicle," says Don Winstel of the Columbus Zoo.

Officials with the state Department of Agriculture say tracking exotic animal in Ohio is hard to do since there is no registration.

[Ohioan from Florida]

Born in Tallahassee, but my family moved around a bit in North Central part for the remainder of my years (till college). The family "homestead" is in Gainesville. My only real connection to the Miami area is some family friends and some second cousins.

I always wonder about other FReepers in the area, too. Maybe we should have bumper stickers or something that identifies us to each other by our "handles"! I'm finding there are more and more in this locale, and it's nice to know, cuz FReepers are the best!!!

[tang-soo]

In a nutshell, a boy learns how to be a real man, taught by his two uncles. His mom is a tramp and tries to golddig the uncles who made a fortune in gold and kicked some Arabs ass. A rare movie that gets it.

I might add that if your recognize the artwork during the end of the movie - you would be correct in thinking it was drawn by Berkley Breatherd (spelling) of Bloom County fame.

[tang-soo]

I work at Chemical Abstracts with several lurkers and at least 2 other registered freepers. By the way, I live near Kohl's
(just west of Hamilton rd.) I like the idea of getting together with some local freepers. I know of one other person in Hilliard.

[Judith Anne]

Loved "Secondhand Lion."

Really excellent.

[cupcakes]

That would be awesome. I'd probably run off the road though trying to catch up to cars that had freerepublic stickers on them and waving wildly like a silly kid at the person behind the wheel--knowing my luck I'd get the non freep spouse who would think there was some kind of road rage thing going on.

[cupcakes]

:-)

[cupcakes]

I was right over there today ts! Treated myself to Max and Erma's on Hamilton after my doctor's appt today! I can't believe you work with some freepers. That's the life. We have some pretty conservative friends, but I don't know they are freepers. I always crack up when hubby tells me the story of a friend of ours that happened years ago(before I knew either of them). The guy nearly got in a fist fight years ago because someone who disliked him called him a liberal to get his goat. He was so absolutely insulted--LOL.
Now i am going to wonder even more who is a freeper and who isn't.

[afraidfortherepublic]

I do find it coincidental that the local team's mascot is a lion.

LOL. 15 years ago we lived in Snohomish Washington at the top of a hill just outside of town in a rather isolated area. My home was on about 10 acres that backed up to 1000 acres of beautiful State Forest. I was a city girl who used to enjoy exploring the deer trails behind my house, and my cats and dogs would follow me. There was one place, however, where my animals would stop and refuse to follow me any further. The cats would scamper up a tree, and the dogs would stand on a fallen log and refuse to go one step further.

It was near my back property line and I assumed that the animals were afraid to go any further because some large dogs lived behind me.

There was this marshy place off the trail that always made me curious because it looked like there might be a little spring there and I wondered if it could be developed into a pond.

One day I went over to look closer and found a LARGE paw print in the mud. I brought my husband back there when he got home and he said it was just a dog stepping in the squishy mud and enlarging the print. I didn't really think so because it was way bigger than any print my 84 pound Golden Retriever would make. (Keep in mind that my dogs were still refusing to follow me over to the marshy area -- they were back on the trail, barking.)

Fast forward a couple of years. We sold out and the County bought my home and turned it into a Ranger Station for the State Land which now was a County Park. I went back to see what they had done a few years later and found my pasture turned into a visitor's parking lot with maps of my trails and a warning to WATCH OUT FOR PANTHERS!

;You guessed it! Our local high school football team was called The Snohomish Panthers.

I had chills running down my back to think of the hours that I had spent out in those woods alone, except for my pets. And I suspect I know what happened to one of the cats who never returned home one night!

[tang-soo]

I'd like to form a lunch with some Columbus area
people. My favorite place is China Gourmet in
the same shopping center as Max and Erma's (Stoneridge Plaza).
There's been a couple others that have had the same idea. Consider this an invitation to those in NE columbus or
gahanna/westerville area. Let's pick a date and time.

[afraidfortherepublic]

Oh goody! It's got Robert Duvall and Haley Osment and it's PG. I'll look for it and put it in my permanent collection too. It looks like a great movie.

I lived in Texas for 10 years and I loved Duvall in Tender Mercies and Apostle. Especially Tender Mercies. It really reminded me of small town Texas. I'm certain that I've driven through some of those towns taking my kids to college at Baylor and at UT (always flew to Lubbock, so I don't know the small towns). Thanks for the suggestion of the movie.

Another good coming of age one is October Sky -- or October Skies -- can't remember. It's in my permanent collection. One of my daughters gave it to my husband and me for our wedding anniversary. It's a favorite.

Its a shame that nearly all of the movies I've just mentioned hardly played in the theaters at all. I was in the Seattle area when Tender Mercies came out and I swear that it never played there at all. I happened to see it on a cruise, or I wouldn't have known about it. And then it won the Academy Award!

A good one that came out yesterday on DVD and VHS is Calendar Girls. I saw it this weekend, and it was great! A true story. Hilarious and a little sad at the same time.

[sparkomatic]

I'd like to attend but, my favorite place is China Buffet on High St. Hey about today at noon?

[sparkomatic]

Hey! That was good. And you drove, too. BTW, I think the General Tso was a bit watery.

[Dante3]

For some reason this reminded me of Andy "The Cat" Katzenmoyer.

[smith288]

I think Andy is bagging groceries nowadays.

[WhiteGuy]

Hey neighbors,

There was no outdoor recess at my daughter's school yesterday, (just off hamilton rd)

I find it strange that it is next to impossible to get homeowner's insurance if you own certain types of dogs, like Pits, or Rotts, but damn it you can keep a lion in your garage if you want to.................................

(Did anyuone see the irony in the fact that the Gahanna mascot is a Lion????)

Quick, someone call Art Bell

[WhiteGuy]

I guess Cookers is out...............

[rintense]

These Lions recently spotted in Detroit:

[GodBlessRonaldReagan]

Heavens to Murgatroyd! A lion? Where?

[tang-soo]

Got that right. Too bad - loved their biscuits!