Deer jumps through window and collides with driver

A Macon County man had quite a commute to work in Americus this morning, when he came nose to nose with a deer. That deer jumped through the window of Clarence Johnson's SUV, and head-butted him.

The deer's back end was hanging out of the car as Johnson and his surprise passenger drove down the road. Johnson did go to the hospital, but he's okay.

Clarence Johnson is undoubtedly a good driver. Rain and slick roads are enough to deal with without having a deer in your lap.

And because it was raining, Mr. Johnson was driving slowly. He believes that's why he walked away with only minor injuries.

How many people can say they fought a deer? Clarence Johnson can. He has the battle wounds to prove it.

"I was just riding listening to Ricky Smiley and then all of a sudden 'BOOM' and I looked over my shoulder and a deer was looking me dead in the face."

He thinks the deer was trying to jump over his SUV, but fell short and smashed through his window instead.

"He came in and his hind legs and his nostril and face hit me in my face."

It was quite the scene.

"All I could look at was his nose. He's kicking around trying to get out and you've got to think, I'm dragging him down the road because his back legs are still outside the vehicle."

On top of everything, it was raining. "He's fighting, like I'm fighting."

Finally, after swerving in and out of his lane and fighting the terrified animal, Johnson was able to push the deer out his window and pull over safely. "I got cuts in my head from glass. It was all in my mouth and clothes."

But aside little cuts and bruises, and a sprained neck, Johnson is OK. Apparently, so is the deer. He ran off and hasn't been seen since. "I guess he got up after he was stunned."

Johnson says he's just glad it was raining. "I believe that's what saved my life, and from having a real critical accident, because I was only going 35 or 40."

A happy ending. "I've seen it on TV and thought it was funny, but the joke was on me this time."

And a brush with nature he'll remember every morning as he drives to work and keeps an eye out for deer that may need a lift.

He was able to laugh about it, but deputies hope this serves as a lesson to drivers. The best thing to do in the rain and during deer season is to slow down and keep a watchful eye out for crossing deer.

The deputy said this was the 5th deer related accident he's worked in the past month. Cold weather often pushes deer out of the woods.

You're also more likely to see them dart into roads during hunting season and just after mating season, which is right now. So be careful.