Deputy Approaches Deer He Thinks Is Dead, and Immediately Regrets Getting So Close

NEED TO KNOW Deputy Sheriff Woody Wallace in Trinity County, Texas, approached a motionless deer during a late-night encounter on Aug. 28 Dashcam footage shows him examining the animal with a flashlight before cautiously moving closer When the deer suddenly stirred, the deputy screamed and backed away before laughing about the unexpected scare with a colleague One Texas deputy's late-night encounter with a motionless deer turned out to be a lot livelier than expected. Dashcam footage captured the moment Sheriff Woody Wallace cautiously approached the animal in Trinity County on Aug. 28, apparently believing the deer was dead — until it suddenly proved otherwise. The encounter unfolded around 11:04 p.m., according to Viral Press. In the footage, Wallace can be seen standing several feet away from the deer and shining a flashlight toward the animal as it lay completely still. For several moments, nothing happened. Trinity County Sheriff Woody Wallace running after the deer he thought was dead stood up. Viral Press Wallace continued examining the deer before slowly moving closer. Then, just as he approached the seemingly lifeless animal, it suddenly stirred. Caught completely off guard, the deputy let out a scream and quickly backed away. 'It's awake!' Wallace exclaimed after recovering from the surprise. 'I just stunned it, we're good.' The deputy then headed back toward his patrol vehicle, where he and a colleague can be heard laughing about the unexpected scare. The deer could be seen sitting upright near the roadside toward the end of the footage, but its condition prompted questions from viewers after the video was shared online. The sheriff's office offered an update after the footage amassed more than 10 million views, sharing good news for anyone worried about the animal: 'We are happy to report that the deer was only stunned and got back on its feet after a few minutes.' Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. The post also included an AI-generated image showing a raccoon riding on the deer's back, accompanied by a fictional update claiming the deer had later been spotted giving a ride to a raccoon that 'had enjoyed one too many cold beverages.' 'The deer is fine,' the sheriff's office concluded. 'The raccoon's decision-making is still under investigation. No animals were harmed in the making of this update.'