A man from Kentucky, known locally as “Cowboy Cody,” was arrested after releasing a terrified raccoon into a bar as an act of retaliation for being denied entry on Friday night, according to local law enforcement and a bartender who witnessed the event. The man, identified as 40-year-old Jonathan Mason, was apprehended on multiple charges, including assault, following the incident at The Big Apple Grill and Bar in Murray, as stated in a police press release.
Mason had reportedly trapped the raccoon earlier that day on his farm and had been carrying it around with him, according to Mary Hafner, a bartender at the restaurant. “I’ve seen some crazy stuff in my time as a bartender, but nothing like this,” Hafner said. Mason, who lives alone on a nearby farm, has a history of causing disturbances at local bars, according to employees.
Hafner, who has been employed at The Big Apple for five years, encountered Mason on Friday night. He had previously been banned from the bar due to an incident involving alcohol and a mule. Hafner believed she could persuade Mason to leave without causing a scene, as he had always been fond of her.
Hafner approached Mason and asked him to leave, to which he initially complied. However, moments later, Mason returned with the raccoon, releasing it into the crowded restaurant. The raccoon, more frightened than anything, waddled around the establishment as customers watched in confusion.
Hafner attempted to handle the situation herself, but another employee tried to grab the raccoon by its tail, resulting in a bite that required rabies shots. A video captured the employee crawling on the floor, chasing the raccoon as it weaved through tables and chairs. Hafner was eventually able to coax the raccoon onto a chair, wrap it in a towel, and remove it from the premises.
This is not the first time Mason has been involved in an animal-related incident. Last winter, he was arrested twice for leading police on a drunken chase through city streets on a mule. Employees at The Big Apple had previously called the police on Mason for allegedly whipping the animal in the parking lot.
After releasing the raccoon, Mason refused to cooperate with police officers who pulled him over later that night. He was eventually arrested and booked into the Calloway County Jail, facing charges of third-degree criminal trespass, second-degree assault, resisting arrest, and failure to maintain insurance.