FLA. KANGAROO OWNER MAY FACE CHARGES IN ESCAPE

Earlier this month, a kangaroo bounded out of a backyard in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and hopped for about three blocks with the police in pursuit. Now its owner may be charged for allowing the animal to escape and for not having the records to show how he acquired it, authorities said Tuesday.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has recommended that Anthony Macias, 24, of Fort Lauderdale, be charged with two second-degree misdemeanors, said Carol Lyn Parrish, a spokeswoman for the agency. Macias may also face a noncriminal infraction for not having a license to possess the kangaroo, she added.

Paula Mcmahon, a spokeswoman for the Broward State Attorney’s Office, said prosecutors would review the case against Macias once the state wildlife commission presented it to them. The misdemeanor charges each carry a maximum penalty of 60 days in jail and a $500 fine, she said.

Steven A. Schaet, the lawyer representing Macias, said that “we will do what we need to rectify the situation.”

“He would like to get the kangaroo back if possible,” Schaet said.

Macias said in an interview on Tuesday that the kangaroo, named Jack, bounced out of his backyard north of downtown Fort Lauderdale on July 16 after he left the side gate open. He said he acquired the kangaroo about three months ago, but declined to say how.

Jack has been transferred to a permitted facility until a permanent placement location can be determined by the state wildlife commission.

JOE CAVARETTA AP Jack the kangaroo peers out from a stall in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.