Bath Township Police Officer Grant Van Fossen was running radar from Moore's Chapel Cemetery when a mystery guest gobbled up his attention.
A wild turkey waddled up to his cruiser and seemingly wanted to ride shotgun.
"He jumped up into the (passenger side) window and it scared the heck out of me and then he jumped up on the roof and I could hear it scratch, scratch, walking around the roof," Van Fossen said.
What followed was a comical standoff-- caught on camera-- between man and bird.
For more than a minute, the officer recorded a video as he tried to convince the turkey to get off the roof, but it refused to leave her perch.
Van Fossen can be heard laughing repeatedly while saying, "Get off. Get off."
"I'm a hunter. What should I be thinking? No, I was thinking it amazed me that there was one turkey alone out here," Van Fossen told News 5.
The officer even turned on his lights and siren, but the bird wouldn't budge.
Finally, the veteran cop used his baton to gently nudge the turkey from the cruiser.
"I didn't swing or hit him or anything, but I kind of poked him off the top of the roof."
Van Fossen didn't realize the turkey had already become a cemetery mascot of sorts.
Karen Beres, the cemetery's sexton, believes the bird is female and she made random appearances throughout the month of November, perhaps grateful for surviving a turkey's least favorite month.
"She made it past Thanksgiving. We were all happy to see she made it past Thanksgiving," Beres said.
Beres has photographed the turkey at the cemetery sitting on top of multiple cars, a backhoe and near workers digging graves.
The bird has also been approaching groups of mourners during burial services.
Asked if the turkey could be paying her final respects, Beres laughed and said, "That could possibly be, I'm afraid. It might be here last respects here. We worry a lot about coyotes around here."
Beres said the turkey can be a little disruptive at this sacred spot, but for the most part, she has been respectful and no visitors have cried "fowl" yet.
"She hasn't gotten into trouble so far," Beres laughed.
The sexton also consulted wildlife officials on whether the turkey should be moved to another location but was told the wild bird may not survive if taken to an unfamiliar environment.
Van Fossen's shared his video on Facebook and it's starting to take flight on social media.
"My wife tells me a day later, that thing has like 1.2 thousand hits. I'm like, 'Really? I'm finally famous.'"
Maybe. But not as legendary as the not-so-timid turkey. The question remains: Where will she land next?
