A Kentucky man known as "Cowboy Cody" took barroom drama to a new level last week, and he did so by letting a live raccoon loose inside a packed restaurant.
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Police arrested Jonathan Mason, 40, after he stormed into The Big Apple Grill and Bar in Murray and released the terrified animal out of spite, as relayed by the New York Post. According to authorities, Mason was upset after being asked to leave the bar. He's now facing charges including assault, trespassing, resisting arrest, and failure to maintain insurance.
"Apparently, he had trapped the raccoon earlier that day on his farm," bartender Mary Hafner told The Post. "He'd just been carrying it around with him. I've seen crazy stuff, but this was a first."
Familiar Face, Familiar Problems
Hafner, 37, has worked at The Big Apple for five years. She immediately recognized Mason when he walked in, despite his previous ban from the bar. That ban, she said, came after a separate incident involving a drunken mule ride through town.
"He'd already been drinking," Hafner told the Post. "But he's always liked me, so I thought maybe I could smooth things over."
As she approached, she tried to keep things calm. Mason didn't resist.
"He looked at me and said, 'Oh, I see how it is. They sent a pretty face out here to distract me,'" she recalled. "But he left. At least, for a minute."
Raccoon Let Loose
Minutes later, Mason came back, this time with backup. Before anyone could react, he opened a container and released a raccoon into the crowded dining room.
"The poor thing was more scared than anything," Hafner said. "People were shocked. It was pretty upsetting for the animal."
Although Hafner told the staff to stay back, one employee tried to grab the raccoon by its tail. Unfortunately, the animal bit him, prompting a rabies protocol.
At that point, Hafner stepped in. She wrapped the raccoon in a towel and calmly escorted it outside.
"I'm no city slicker," she said. "I'm a Kentucky girl. I had no problem catching him."
Stubborn as a Mule
This wasn't Mason's first brush with animal-related chaos. Last December, he was arrested twice in three days for leading police on separate drunken chases, all while riding a mule.
"He was whipping the poor thing in our parking lot," Hafner said. "We had to call the cops."
According to police, Mason repeated the mule stunt again just two days later.
After the raccoon incident, officers tracked Mason to his vehicle. However, he refused to get out or even roll down his windows when questioned.
Eventually, police placed him under arrest and booked him into the Calloway County Jail.
