Donkey arrested after traffic accident

[Hamma]

http://edition.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/am....ap/index.html

BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) -- The suspect was a little long in the face after being arrested and is braying for an early release.

Police said Tuesday they detained the suspect, a donkey named Pacho, after a motorcycle crashed into it on a road in a northeastern city, with the motorcyclist suffering serious injuries.

"When there are road accidents and serious injuries, the vehicles involved are always impounded," said Diana Rojas, spokeswoman for the Arauca city police department.

"We had to impound both the donkey and the motorcycle and put them at the disposal of investigators so they can decide what to do with them and whether to release them," she said.

Pacho's owner, Nelson Gonzalez, said no one should pin the blame on the donkey for Sunday's crash.

"Neither the donkey nor I were responsible because I was in front and the motorcyclist saw me,"Gonzalez told RCN television.

The motorcyclist remained in the hospital on Tuesday.

The donkey, whose legs were hurt in the crash, is being held at an impound yard in Arauca. Gonzalez has been trekking to the site to feed his donkey. Rojas said it was unclear when the investigation would be concluded.