Man accused in flamingo’s death fatally struck by truck

TAMPA, Fla. – A man accused of causing the death of Pinky, a beloved flamingo at Busch Gardens, was hit by a truck and died, two months before he was to go on trial.

The Tampa Bay Times is reporting that The Florida Highway Patrol says 48-year-old Joseph Corrao was killed June 5 as he crossed a busy road in Orlando.

Correa was accused of grabbing the Chilean flamingo from a pen and slamming it to the ground while visiting the Tampa theme park with his mother and daughters. The severely injured flamingo had to be euthanized.

Corrao told police he was trying to show off to his daughter and didn’t mean to harm Pinky. He spent five days in jail on a felony charge of animal cruelty.