A free-roaming pony ran into a parked police car on the Southside early Tuesday, damaging the car but apparently escaping injury.

The pony was one of two that had escaped from a farm in the 4200 block of Bluff Road and had been darting in and out of traffic just after midnight.

Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department officer Michael Agresta parked his squad car at a gas station on Bluff Road to investigate. When Agresta and officer Mikola Layton walked across the street to the edge of the woods where the ponies were standing, the ponies became agitated and began running, according to Agresta’s report.

A tan pony ran straight toward the squad car. It tried to stop but slid across the parking lot and hit the car’s front bumper “while sparks were flying off its hooves,” according to the report. The animal then ran back to private property with the other horse.

The squad car’s left front bumper, door and headlights were damaged.

The owner, Romona Carter, 77, told police the ponies are about 2 years old. Neither was hurt.