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Global News
07-05-2025
- Global News
Pet raccoon holding a meth pipe in driver's seat surprises Ohio police
Police officers respond to a lot of strange calls, but a recent incident involving a pet raccoon and a methamphetamine pipe in Ohio may take the cake for most unusual interaction. An officer in central Ohio encountered Chewy, a pet raccoon, during a traffic stop Monday evening. While the car was initially pulled over for an active warrant on the driver, who also had a suspended licence, it was Chewy who alerted the cops to additional potential crimes. Springfield Township police officer Austin Branham first approached the vehicle and detained a cooperative 55-year-old woman by the name of Victoria Vidal. When Branham turned his attention back to the car, however, 'things took an unusual turn,' the Springfield Township Police Department wrote in a press release shared to Facebook. Story continues below advertisement 'As Officer Branham returned to the vehicle, he observed a raccoon named 'Chewy' sitting in the driver's seat with a meth pipe in its mouth. Chewy had somehow gotten hold of a glass methamphetamine pipe, leading officers to further inspect the vehicle.' Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Body camera video released by police showed the calm raccoon playing with the meth pipe, and at one point putting it in his mouth, while the officers laughed, incredulous at the sight. View image in full screen A zoomed-in video still shows Chewy with the meth pipe in his mouth. Handout / Facebook / Springfield Township Police Department Chewy's adventures in drug paraphernalia led the officers to further search the car, where they found a bulk amount of methamphetamine, crack cocaine and three used meth pipes, police said. Vidal was charged with possession of drugs and three counts of possession of drug paraphernalia and was cited for driving under suspension, authorities said. She was also subsequently turned over to Cuyahoga Falls Police on her active warrant, where additional charges related to crack cocaine possession will be presented at a grand jury pending lab results. Story continues below advertisement 'Thankfully, Chewy the raccoon was unharmed, and notification was made to the proper authorities to determine that she has the proper paperwork and documentation to own the raccoon,' police said, adding that Vidal did have all the right papers. '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,' authorities confirmed. 'As always, we remain committed to keeping our community safe — no matter what surprises may come our way.'
Time of India
07-05-2025
- Time of India
What! Police bodycam captures Chewy, the raccoon, holding meth pipe during traffic stop
Credit: X — ImFromCle (@ImFromCle) An officer in central Ohio got more than he bargained for during a routine traffic stop earlier this week — a pet raccoon in the driver's seat, gripping a glass meth to the Springfield Township Police Department, Officer Austin Branham pulled over a vehicle whose registered owner had an active warrant and a suspended license. What he discovered inside left him stunned: a raccoon named 'Chewy' sitting in the driver's seat, pipe in bizarre sight prompted a deeper search of the vehicle, where officers reportedly found methamphetamine, crack cocaine, and three used meth pipes stashed elsewhere in the driver, 55-year-old Victoria Vidal, was arrested on multiple charges, including drug possession and three counts of drug paraphernalia. She was also cited for driving under suspension. Additional charges for crack cocaine may be filed depending on results from the state Bureau of Criminal the raccoon, was unharmed. Police confirmed Vidal had the proper documents to legally own him — pet raccoons are allowed in Ohio, but only with strict permits and footage released by the department shows the moment Chewy emerged from the vehicle, leaving even seasoned officers in disbelief. 'While our officers are trained to expect the unexpected, finding a raccoon holding a meth pipe is a first!' the department just the police officers, but the internet was also amazed. One user commented on a social media post, 'What a wild story lol! Did Chewy get a snack instead?' Another wrote, 'Chewy's just trying to cope with fentanyl corridors and gender studies like the rest of Middle America.'A third user, however, pointed out that this might not really be a laughing matter. They wrote, 'You don't know what this raccoon has been through. With all the Haitians eating everything that walks on four legs. He's got PTSD. He can probably go to the VA and Job and Family Services and get food stamps, free healthcare, free housing, and methadone.'
USA Today
07-05-2025
- USA Today
Not your average traffic stop: Watch video as police find racoon with meth pipe
Not your average traffic stop: Watch video as police find racoon with meth pipe Show Caption Hide Caption Raccoon seen holding meth pipe, owner charged with possession of drugs Police came across the bizarre scene during a traffic stop in Akron, Ohio. The owner received multiple charges, including possession of drugs. Police found a raccoon with a meth pipe in its moth after its owner was arrested on an active Monday, leading to even more charges, according to police. On Monday, an officer with the Springfield Township Police Department made a traffic stop that would lead to a shocking discovery. "While our officers are trained to expect the unexpected, finding a raccoon holding a meth pipe is a first!" wrote the Springfield Township Police Department on Facebook. "No raccoons were hurt or injured in this incident." Chewy the raccoon's owner, Victoria Vidal, 55, was arrested in Springfield Township, Ohio, around 15 miles north of Cincinnati, after a traffic stop led to police discovering that she was driving with an active warrant and suspended license, according to a post made to the Springfield Township Police Department's Facebook. Watch unusual traffic stop when police find raccoon holding meth pipe However, that wasn't the unusual part of this story. When an officer returned to the car after Vidal's arrest, he found Chewy in the driver's seat of Vidal's car, "with a meth pipe in its mouth," the Facebook post said. "Chewy had somehow gotten hold of a glass methamphetamine pipe, leading officers to further inspect the vehicle," according to the police department. The discovery led police to investigate and search the car, where they found drugs and pipes. What did police find? A search revealed the following were in the car, according to police: A bulk amount of methamphetamine Crack cocaine Three used glass meth pipes 'Walking past my dog' challenge: Owners test pups' recognition skills, with mixed results What was Vidal charged with? The discovery of the raccoon led to Vidal receiving multiple charges, including third-degree felony possession of drugs and three counts of possession of drug paraphernalia, according to police. Vidal was also cited for driving under suspension. "Additional charges related to crack cocaine possession will be presented at Grand Jury pending BCI lab results," police said. Vidal was handed over to another police department, the Cuyahoga Falls Police, on her active warrant. How is Chewy the raccoon? Chewy the raccoon was unharmed, and police determined that Vidal did have the proper documentation needed to own the raccoon. Julia is a trending reporter for USA TODAY. Connect with her on LinkedIn, X, Instagram and TikTok: @juliamariegz, or email her at jgomez@
Metro
07-05-2025
- Metro
Pet raccoon caught doing meth in the driver's seat of a car
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video This is the moment a police officer found a pet raccoon called Chewy doing meth in the driver's seat of a car. Bodycam footage from officer Austin Branham shows him stopping a car in Springfield, Ohio, on Monday. The driver, Victoria Vidal, 55, was detained because she had an active warrant and suspended driver's licence. But things took an unusual turn when the officer returned to the car after she was detained. 'Oh, hey, come here, the raccoon has her meth pipe,' the officer can be heard saying. He then chuckles and exclaims: 'He's playing with the meth pipe, right now.' The officer then laughs harder and shouts: 'He's trying to smoke it.' He then reaches into the car and pulls the meth pipe away from Chewy before he says excitedly: 'The raccoon was playing with her meth pipe. 'Alright, enough fun and games,' he then tells Chewy. Officers at the scene investigated the car more after being left baffled as to how the raccoon managed to get a meth pipe in his mouth. They also found a bulk amount of meth, crack cocaine and three used glass meth pipes. Ms Vidal was charged with 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 for her active warrant. More Trending The additional charges related to crack cocaine possession will be presented at Grand Jury pending lab results. Springfield Township Police Department posted on Facebook: 'Thankfully, Chewy the raccoon was unharmed, and notification was made to the proper authorities to determine that she has the proper paperwork and 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. 'As always, we remain committed to keeping our community safe — no matter what surprises may come our way.' Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Woman's dismembered body found on beach after telling friends she was going to party MORE: 'Loverboy' criminal who romanced two prison workers caught after week on the run MORE: First picture of 'super nice' and 'helpful' man stabbed to death in his flat
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Yahoo
Pet raccoon with meth pipe in its mouth found in car during traffic stop
An officer in central Ohio encountered a pet racoon while conducting a traffic stop earlier this week. The animal, named "Chewy," had a glass methamphetamine pipe in its mouth and was sitting in the driver's seat of a car that the officer had pulled over, police said. The discovery led Springfield Township Police Officer Austin Branham, who conducted the traffic stop, to search the vehicle more thoroughly. He and other officers found methamphetamine, crack cocaine and three used methamphetamine pipes elsewhere in the car, according to the Springfield Township Police Department. The vehicle was pulled over because its registered owner had an active warrant and a suspended driver's license, the department said. Law enforcement arrested and charged the owner of the car, 55-year-old Victoria Vidal, with drug possession and three counts of drug paraphernalia and cited her for driving under suspension, the police department said. Vidal may face more charges for crack cocaine possession, depending on the outcome of lab results still to come from the state Bureau of Criminal Investigation. The raccoon was not harmed, police said, and officers confirmed Vidal has the documents needed to legally own the animal. (In Ohio, people are allowed to have pet raccoons, but the process to keep them domestically is highly regulated and certain permits are required.) Springfield police released body camera video of the traffic stop, which shows Chewy emerging from the car. "While our officers are trained to expect the unexpected, finding a raccoon holding a meth pipe is a first!" the department said. Why Hegseth is calling for cuts to senior ranks across U.S. military Analyzing Trump's announcement of ceasefire with Houthi rebels in Yemen Cardinals hold final mass in St. Peter's Basilica before papal conclave
