Man chases opossum, it tries to bite him, he falls — and later dies, Texas cops say

A Houston man who was trying to pick up a opossum died after falling off a sidewalk getting struck by a car, Houston police said in a news release.

Police responded to an area at 8900 North Houston Rosslyn Road about 10:25 p.m. on December 12. The victim, “54-year-old Paul Cahill lost his balance and fell into the street,” authorities told ABC 13.

Cahill “was intoxicated and walking on the sidewalk at the above address when he attempted to pick up an opossum, which tried to bite him,” police said. Cahill reportedly lost his balance and fell into the street, where a gray Pontiac G8 hit him.

He was taken to Ben Taub General Hospital where he died on Wednesday, police said.

The driver of the Pontiac was questioned at the scene and released, police said.

This story was originally published December 20, 2019 at 2:40 PM.