Vehicle Hits and Kills Deer on Busy Lafayette Roadway

(Lafayette, Louisiana) - A wild scene unfolded right smack in the middle of the city of Lafayette on Wednesday afternoon after a vehicle struck a deer on a busy roadway.

Several people reported on social media that they witnessed a vehicle hit a deer off of Ambassador Caffery near the Lowe's store. If you aren't familiar with that location, it is situated in the heart of the city, surrounded by several neighborhoods.

Sadly, the deer did not survive the crash, and according to Traci Pecot, Wildlife and Fisheries was called to the scene, where the deer remained. She said that the wild animal died before the authorities arrived at the location off of Ambassador Caffery.

Pecot submitted these photos of the dead deer in Lafayette.

This isn't the first wild animal we've reported on in the city, and it most likely won't be the last. Increasingly, wild animals are appearing in areas that haven't been previously observed.

We've all seen large deer alongside I-10 between Lafayette and Baton Rouge, but to see a deer right smack in the city, well, that is a bit odd.

Why Wild Animals Are Moving Into Cities

Wild animals are relocating for various reasons, but the primary reason many believe they are on the move now is the excessive development that is impeding their natural habitats. Remember, it is never safe to approach a wild animal in the city. If you wish to report a sighting, please call Wildlife and Fisheries in Acadiana at (337) 262-2080.

I asked Pecot if she witnessed the crash with the wild animal today, and she told me that she did not, but that there was debris scattered in the roadway where the vehicle collided with the deer in Lafayette.

We do not know if the person driving the vehicle that struck the animal was injured in this collision in Lafayette.

In a separate photo, you see authorities on the scene with the deer that was deceased on the side of the road in Lafayette.