The California Highway Patrol—Fort Tejon-Grapevine Station—posted on social media an image of a gopher snake taking up residence in the driver's seat of a trooper's patrol vehicle.
The agency said on Facebook Tuesday, "As I was returning to my patrol car from a stop, I see this snake in my driver seat. I asked him what he was doing there. He paused and swallowed and said, 'Sorry about the delay, I had a frog in my throat.' I asked again what he was doing in my seat. He replied, 'I always wanted to be a civil serpent!'"