Farmville, N.C. — A Raleigh firefighter on his way home from work Thursday picked up an injured bald eagle from the side of the road and took it to a nearby veterinary clinic for help.

Justin Bolduc was eastbound on U.S. Highway 264 between Wilson and Farmville when he spotted the injured bird. He said he put a shirt over the eagle's head to protect its wings and used gloves to pick it up and place it in the back seat of his car.

He took the eagle to Downeast Wildlife Rehabilitation Center in Grifton, where director Marti Brinson said it was treated for eye injuries. She said the bird, which is believed to be younger than 3 years old, is expected to make a full recovery and will likely be released back into the wild next week.

Both Bolduc and Brinson notified the state Wildlife Resources Commission of their actions so they wouldn't be cited for interfering with a federally protected species.