Raccoon with Meth Pipe Discovered During Unusual Traffic Stop in Ohio

SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP, OH — A routine traffic stop took a bizarre turn Sunday evening after Springfield Township Police encountered a raccoon holding a meth pipe inside a vehicle.

According to a press release from the Springfield Township Police Department, the incident occurred around 7:15 p.m. on May 5. Officer Austin Branham initiated a stop on South Arlington Road after identifying a vehicle whose registered owner had an active warrant and a suspended license.

The driver, 55-year-old Victoria Vidal of Akron, was detained without incident. However, upon returning to the vehicle, Officer Branham found an unexpected passenger—“Chewy,” a raccoon sitting in the driver’s seat with a meth pipe in its mouth.

A search of the vehicle led to the discovery of a bulk amount of methamphetamine, crack cocaine, and three used glass pipes. Vidal was charged with third-degree felony drug possession and three counts of possessing drug paraphernalia. She was also cited for driving under suspension and turned over to Cuyahoga Falls Police on her outstanding warrant. Additional charges for crack cocaine are pending based on lab results from the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation.

Authorities confirmed Chewy the raccoon was unharmed. Proper wildlife officials have been contacted to verify if Vidal possessed the required documentation to keep the raccoon legally.

“This was a first for our department,” the agency noted. “While our officers are trained to expect the unexpected, finding a raccoon holding a meth pipe certainly qualifies.”

The investigation remains ongoing.

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