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Ohio officer bitten by coyote while helping stranded driver 

COLUMBUS, Ohio — A Columbus police officer was bitten by a coyote Thursday after he stopped to check on a driver stranded along the highway.

The officer was helping the driver around 7 p.m. when the coyote approached, WBNS reported. The animal tried to attack a state road worker who also was helping and the officer was bitten while trying to intervene.

The officer punched the coyote and it ran off, WKBN reported. He called for backup and when other officers arrived the coyote reappeared.

The road worker tried to use pepper spray on the animal to no effect. The troopers then tried to use a stun gun but were unable to hit the animal with the electrified prongs.

The officers corralled the coyote to try and capture it, but when it became aggressive again an officer shot and killed it, WBNS reported.

The officer who was bitten was taken to a hospital and is in stable condition, WKBN reported.