A routine traffic stop in Ohio took a wild turn when police found a raccoon clutching a meth pipe.
According to a statement shared on the Springfield Township Police Department’s Facebook page, a police officer conducted a traffic stop on Monday (May 5) after spotting a vehicle whose registered owner had an active warrant and a suspended license.
The driver, identified as 55-year-old Victoria Vidal of Akron, was detained without incident.
However, the officer returned to the vehicle and spotted a raccoon named Chewy sitting in the driver’s seat holding a glass meth pipe in its mouth.
As seen in the body cam footage circulating online, the officer couldn’t contain his laughter at the discovery and said, “The raccoon has her meth pipe. He’s playing with a meth pipe right now!”
From there, officers discovered a bulk amount of methamphetamine, crack cocaine, and three used glass meth pipes.
Vidal was charged with felony possession of drugs, three counts of possession of drug paraphernalia, and was cited for driving under suspension. She was also turned over to Cuyahoga Falls Police on her outstanding warrant.
Further charges for crack cocaine possession are pending based on lab results.
Authorities confirmed Chewy was unharmed with officials contacting the proper authorities to ensure Vidal has the appropriate documentation to own the raccoon.
“While our officers are trained to expect the unexpected, finding a raccoon holding a meth pipe is a first! No raccoons were hurt or injured in this incident,” read the statement from Springfield Township Police Department. “As always, we remain committed to keeping our community safe — no matter what surprises may come our way.”
