Page 12 - IAV Digital Magazine #620

iAV - Antelope Valley Digital Magazine
Mule-riding Kentucky Man Accused of Unleashing Raccoon In Bar After Being Turned Away
MURRAY, Ky. (WKRC) — A Kentucky man known by locals as "Cowboy Cody" was taken into custody after he allegedly released a raccoon into a crowd- ed bar Friday.
According to the authorities, 40-year- old Jonathan Mason of Murray, Kentucky, was arrested after police say he released a raccoon in a bar, which resulted in one person being bitten.
Officers with the Murray Police Department respond- ed to the business at 9:18 p.m. after receiv- ing a report of a dis- turbance. Officers found Mason driving and initiated a traffic stop, but the suspect allegedly refused to roll his window down or exit the vehicle, which prompted offi- cers to forcibly
remove him.
Authorities later learned that someone had been bitten by the raccoon and that Mason had been pre- viously warned not to enter the property.
Mason was taken to the Calloway County Jail and charged with the following, accord- ing to police: Assault, Criminal trespassing, Resisting arrest, Failure of owner to maintain required insurance.
Mary Hafner, a bar- tender at the business involved in the inci- dent, spoke to The New York Post, telling the publication that Mason had apparently "trapped a raccoon earlier in the day on his farm and he had been carrying it around with him.”
“I’m a bartender, so you know I’ve seen
some crazy stuff in my time. But nothing like this," Hafner told the publication.
Hafner explained
to The Post that Mason lives alone on a farm in the area and has caused trouble at local bars in the past. She said Mason had already been drinking when he turned up at the bar that day, and was banned due to a previous incident involving a mule, per the publication.
Hafner told The
Post that Mason had always liked her, so she attempted to con- vince him to leave.
“He said to me, ‘Oh, I see how it is, they sent a pretty face out here to distract me,’” Hafner told the publi- cation, adding that he initially appeared to comply with her request.
According to the pub- lication, Mason allegedly returned to the bar moments later with the raccoon and released it into the establishment.
“It was more scared than anything,” Hafner said regarding the animal, per The Post.
Hafner told the publi- cation that another employee attempted to apprehend the rac- coon by grabbing its
tail and was conse- quently bitten by the animal, which required a rabies shot. Hafner said she was able to corner the raccoon with a towel and safely return it outside, where it fled, according to The Post.
“I’m no city slicker. I’m a Kentucky girl. I had no problem catching him," Hafner told The Post.
WDKY-TV reported in December that Mason had been arrested after he turned up at Tap 216, already drinking, and riding a mule. The station's report states that Mason entered the bar and allegedly began "whipping a bullwhip" at other patrons.
Mason was asked to leave, but he refused and was later arrest- ed by responding offi- cers, per the outlet.
When speaking to authorities, a local business owner said Mason had ridden the mule 15 miles into town to "break him in," adding that "in all the years she has known Mason, she has witnessed poor treatment and abused looks of his horses," WDKY reported.
The woman added,
"The more Mason becomes intoxicated, the worse his treat- ment of horses becomes,” according to the station, which cited court documents in its report.
Animal control deter- mined that Mason's mule appeared to be "around 100 pounds malnourished," per the station.
Mason was taken to the Calloway County Jail, later released after posting bond and ordered to stay away from the mule and the bar, WDKY reported.
The following day, however, authorities responded to reports of an intoxicated man riding a mule in an area where Mason's had been stabled, per the station.
According to the out- let, Mason was allegedly seen gallop- ing down the road and tipping his hat to bystanders as they passed.
Mason allegedly fled officers on the mule, but was eventually captured. He was taken into custody once again and charged with fleeing or evading police and cruelty to animals, per WDKY.
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