Roscoe's Great Adventure...

Photo By Rachael Anne Ryals

Roscoe the Bull looks for a head-scratch from his owner, Newberry farmer Alfred Zebley. Roscoe got loose last week and gave a few people, including two deputies, a scare.

Now something from the High Springs Herald, to remind us we're still rural north central Florida …

AFTER CHASING 2 DEPUTIES AND LIFTING PATROL CAR, ROSCOE THE BULL IS BACK AT HOME

By Rachael Anne Ryals

Herald Staff Writer

NEWBERRY – For Newberry farmer Alfred Zebley, a recent Sunday morning was just another day on the farm.

For Zebley’s 2,000-pound bull, Roscoe, the morning started with escape and adventure and ended with police and misunderstandings.

Roscoe the Bull found a place in his pen’s fencing that was loose from where some horses had previously broken through, Zebley said. Seeing an opportunity for escape after five years on the farm, Roscoe took advantage of the situation.

Once he had pushed through the fence, Roscoe went exploring.

Suddenly free on land located about three miles southwest of downtown Newberry, Roscoe had plenty of ways to roam.

By 10:40 a.m. or so, Roscoe had travelled about a mile, over to Ian Whitmer’s home.

Even though Newberry is a rural city, and Whitmer lived in a particularly rural area of the rural city, a huge, grunting bull in one’s yard is unnerving.

So Whitmer called police and stayed inside.

When Alachua County Sheriff’s deputies arrived seven minutes later, they did not see Roscoe in the front yard.

But Roscoe saw the deputies.

As the deputies were walking to the front door to talk to Whitmer, who was still inside his house, Roscoe emerged from the back yard. He began to paw his foot on the ground, grunting at the deputies.

He wasn’t ready to go home yet.

Roscoe charged at the deputies, who ran back to their cars, using the cars as a shield.

Roscoe rubbed his head against one of patrol cars, banging his head against the car and pushing it up a few feet in the air, according to a police report.

The deputies were unable to distract Roscoe, who continued to ram the patrol car.

Alachua County Sheriff Deputy Jeffrey Monson was finally able to get in his car and drive away from the area. Roscoe charged after the car, giving Deputy Daniel Brinsko a chance to get in his car.

The deputies tried to use their vehicles to herd Roscoe and contain him until Rural Service Deputy Perry Koon could arrive.

But Roscoe, perhaps knowing his adventure was almost over, took the opportunity to explore several nearby yards.

When Zebley received a call from police that his bull had escaped, Zebley drove over with a trailer to bring Roscoe home.

Roscoe came right over to Zebley when he called.

“I called him, and he came right to me,” Zebley said.

Roscoe may have felt crowded, which might have caused him to act aggressive, Zebley said.

Or maybe Roscoe knew that this was his one chance for adventure, and he wanted to make the most of the day.

One thing is for certain, Roscoe won’t be escaping anytime soon.

Zebley has since mended the fence, making it stronger than ever.

But while all is quiet on the farm again, Zebley wants to clear one thing up about Roscoe the bull.

“They make him out like he is a bad bull,” Zebley said. “But he isn’t. I can get out there and pet him. He is usually very friendly.”