Damariscotta Police Officer Kyle Sylvester has been a police officer for two years, and in that time, he hasn't had an encounter like the one he did Aug. 2.

Sylvester responded to Main Street near McDonald's in Damariscotta at around 11 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 2, for an unusual call.

A skunk had been digging through the trash at McDonald's and in the process had managed to get a cup stuck on its head.

“I really didn't want to get sprayed,” Sylvester said. “But I didn't want the skunk to die just because someone threw some garbage on the ground.”

Sylvester approached the skunk slowly with a blanket held out in front of him so as not to startle the animal. In a video shot by fellow Officer Mark Graham, Sylvester neared the animal with the blanket outstretched.

Also in the video, the skunk began running around with the cup on, visibly affecting its vision. Then in the video Sylvester reached over and towards the cup.

“I was just trying to grab the cup and get away before he could spray me,” he said. “When I grabbed the cup, I actually lifted the skunk off the ground a little.”

Then the cup, which Sylvester said was a McFlurry cup with a plastic lid, popped off the skunk’s head and the two — police officer and skunk — were face-to-face.

“I actually caught a glimpse of his eyes,” Sylvester said. “He was starting to puff up like he was going to spray me, but I was already running away.”

Sylvester was able to get away before the skunk could spray, and the animal soon followed suit.

“I ran away and then (the skunk) took off for the woods,” he said.

As the skunk bolts, Sylvester can be heard whooping as he manages to get away clean, literally.

Sylvester said this was his first time dealing with a skunk on the job. Asked whether he would consider branching out into animal control territory, Sylvester said he didn't think so.

“I think I'll stick with being a police officer,” he said.