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Stubborn creature won’t budge from Washington road — until sweet-talking cop arrives

A deputy responded to a creature blocking a roadway on July 15 near Duvall, Washington, authorities said.
A deputy responded to a creature blocking a roadway on July 15 near Duvall, Washington, authorities said. Getty Images/iStockphoto

A deputy used his sweet-talking skills to lure away a creature blocking a Washington road.

The animal kept a driver from delivering a package July 15 in an unincorporated area near Duvall, the King County Sheriff’s Office said in a Facebook post.

When the deputy got to the scene, he found a stubborn llama that refused to move.

Deputy C.J. Paczosa is seen leading a llama from a roadway on July 15 near Duvall, Washington.
Deputy C.J. Paczosa is seen leading a llama from a roadway on July 15 near Duvall, Washington. King County Sheriff's Office

“Using his de-escalation skills and standing just a tad over spitting distance, Deputy (C.J.) Paczosa was able to sweet talk him into putting on a leash to get him off the roadway,” the department said in the post.

Authorities then got a call from someone missing their llama.

They helped return the animal to its owner and unblocked the road for the delivery driver.

“The driver was able to deliver the package, most likely ordered through Llama-zon,” deputies said.

Social media users had plenty to say about the llama rescue.

“Preciousness overload! I love this!!!” one person commented on Facebook.

“If this isn’t the best story of the day, then I don’t know what is,” another person wrote.

Duvall is about 30 miles northeast of Seattle.

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This story was originally published July 17, 2023 at 12:42 PM with the headline "Stubborn creature won’t budge from Washington road — until sweet-talking cop arrives."

Helena Wegner
McClatchy DC
Helena Wegner is a McClatchy National Real-Time Reporter covering the state of Washington and the western region. She’s a journalism graduate from Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication. She’s based in Phoenix.
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