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By Doris Maricle

American Press

ROANOKE — A Russian T-90 battle tank that was captured by Ukraine during the war with Russia made a pit stop this week to the astonishment of travelers at Peto’s I-10 Travel Center and Casino in rural Jeff Davis Parish.

Peto’s Manager Cody Sellers said the tank, which was being transported to points unknown, was left at the local travel center when the truck towing it suffered mechanical problems late Tuesday.

Speculation about the destination of the T-90, one of Russia’s most modern battle tanks, resulted in phone calls to Fort Polk and other military installations by military bloggers and publications, including The War Zone, a popular military website.

Military bloggers on-line traced the origin of the tank’s capture in Ukraine last fall.

As news of the tank being parked at a travel center on I-10 in Jeff Davis Parish spread, military enthusiasts from throughout Southwest Louisiana drove to see it.

“We’ve had customers pulling in, seeing the tank and taking pictures,” Sellers said. “Co-workers have even been bringing their kids to take pictures with it.”

Sellers, who saw the tank for the first time Thursday morning, said he is curious of why the tank is in Louisiana and how it got to the United States.

“A lot of our customers are asking us about the tank in the parking lot,” he said. “I’m hoping they (haulers) will come back when I am here so I can ask them a lot of questions about it.”

Sellers said the tank is the weirdest thing he has ever seen in the parking lot.