Maryland Community Newspapers Online
George Bourzikos got some unexpected guests Thursday afternoon at his Greek restaurant in Colesville.
A deer and two dogs crashed through his storefront window, putting customers and employees on the defensive. Bourzikos said the animals "danced" around the store for four minutes, shattering 70 to 80 glasses and leaving blood everywhere.
"It was a mess," said Bourzikos, owner of the Greek Village on New Hampshire Avenue.
After trashing the restaurant, the deer wandered inside a nearby Giant supermarket. The rampage ended after the animal was euthanized by the state Department of Natural Resources.
Ken D'Loughy, regional wildlife manager for the DNR Wildlife and Heritage Service, said the deer was "bitten on the legs" and had "blood coming out the mouth."
When deer feel threatened, D'Loughy said adrenaline kicks in, which can cause them to behave irrationally. "It's an ‘if I can see it, I can go through it' type of thing," he said.
Bourzikos cleaned his restaurant and left at 1 a.m. Plywood covered the shattered storefront glass Friday, but the interior appeared in good condition and the restaurant was open for lunch.
D'Loughy said it's "amazing" that deer end up in public areas without being spotted by authorities and the public. Last week, a deer was found in the basement of condominium in North Bethesda, he said.
Whitetail deer population in the area is high, D'Loughy said. With the Upper Paint Branch and Northwest Branch Stream Valley parks nearby, deer from those areas can seek refuge in area neighborhoods, which are often wooded.
"It creates the perfect combination for deer to thrive in," he said.
The deer got too close to Bourzikos, who hit the animal with a chair he was holding to protect himself.
"You only see these things in the movies," he said.
Bourzikos' shopping center neighbor, Shenny Fahrali of EXIT Realty Solutions, said she got in her car and followed one of the dogs, which has black fur, according to cell phone pictures she provided to The Gazette. The dog is seen walking down a road and lounging in yards.
Fahrali said she tried to get the dog, who was walking along Midland Road, to come toward her but the animal appeared frightened and confused despite being "very strong looking."
"He knew he had done something wrong," Fahrali said.
