That mistake turned deadly for four birds crossing Lockmere Drive Friday morning. A car hit them, but police said it was no accident.
"The van slowed to a stop and then accelerated into four geese that were crossing the road," said Capt. Dave Wulff with the Cary Police Department.
Dianna Raczniak was at the scene moments after it happened.
"It made me sick to think that someone would intentionally hurt an animal or bird," said Raczniak. "It just made me sad."
Police said Deborah Eshragh was the woman behind the wheel.
"I would never hurt anything. I love animals," said Eshragh in a phone interview with WRAL late Friday.
Eshragh said she was distracted by her two dogs in the car and never saw the geese. It wasn't until she saw feathers in the rear-view mirror that she realized what happened. She also said she didn't stop because the dogs were "hysterical."
Police said they heard a similar story.
"She did indicate that she didn't see them, that she had her dog and her kids in the car, but again it's going to be up to the courts to decide whether it was intentional or not," said Wulff.
Cary police charged Eshragh with misdemeanor animal cruelty for killing the gaggle of geese.
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