A suspect wanted by many for Thanksgiving dinner tried to hide out in a Cobb County gas station Monday. But his feathers were ruffled by a quick-acting Marietta police officer who grabbed him and loaded him into a waiting patrol car.

The turkey, whose name was not released, flew to the front door of the Chevron on Cobb Parkway at North Marietta Parkway, then walked inside Monday morning, according to Officer David Baldwin with Marietta police.

A police officer working a nearby crash investigation saw the bird, winged and possibly delicious, enter the gas station as a gaggle of curious onlookers ogled. When the officer got to the gas station, he located the turkey in a back room and grabbed him, Baldwin said.

Turns out, the gobbler may have been trying to escape the holiday fate of so many other birds, police said. But had the turkey tried to cross the road, there could have been a traffic accident before it reached the other side.

The turkey was transported to Cobb County Animal Control, where it will be kept safe, at least until after the holiday passes.

Police chalked up the incident to fowl play.