WATCH: Tortoise causes major Labor Day traffic jam

ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico (KMID/KPEJ) – The roads in northwest Albuquerque are clear after an unexpected roadblock on Labor Day.

“We were like leaving my parents house, we went swimming, and we were coming down the road and there was a giant tortoise just on the crosswalk right over here,” said Britianie Teston.

A tortoise was seen walking across Montano by Ranch Road on Monday. One family saw the large reptile in the road, causing a major backup.

“It started to cross and then I stopped and the truck next to us stopped and we sat there for a minute because it started to zig zag towards and when the other truck started to go around we realized there was a ton of traffic behind us backed up now and so I pulled over,” said Teston.

Albuquerque Police later arrived and helped wrangle the reptile, safely loading him into the Animal Welfare Department’s truck.

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