Man Unleashed ‘Pet Raccoon’ into Crowded Bar as Revenge for Being Kicked Out

A Kentucky man known around town as “Cowboy Cody” is in serious trouble after allegedly unleashing a live raccoon inside a bar to get revenge on staff who had banned him — then crashing his truck into a police cruiser while trying to get away.

Jonathan Mason, 40, was arrested earlier this month in Murray, Kentucky, and now faces charges of assault, criminal trespassing, resisting arrest, and failure to maintain insurance, according to court records.

Police say it all went down at The Big Apple Grill and Bar, where Mason was reportedly tossed out for bad behavior. Instead of cooling off, he returned — this time armed with a wild raccoon.

Witnesses say Mason tricked patrons into opening the door by hiding the animal behind his back. “He just slings this raccoon in out of nowhere,” one stunned customer told police. The animal ran wild through the restaurant, even biting an employee who tried to catch it. That employee had to get a rabies shot.

According to police, Mason fled in a red pickup, which officers quickly located. When they tried to pull him over, Mason refused to stop right away and signaled for them to drive around. Once he finally pulled into a lot, officers — aware that Mason had a past history involving firearms — approached with their weapons drawn.

Mason refused to roll down his windows, so an officer used a window breaker to gain entry and arrest him. But as officers were completing the paperwork, Mason’s truck — left in neutral — rolled backward and hit a police cruiser. It was then discovered he didn’t have valid insurance.

Back at the bar, employees and customers filled in more of the bizarre backstory. Some claimed the raccoon was Mason’s pet, and that he’d been seen carrying it around earlier that day. One bartender told reporters Mason had apparently caught the animal himself and paraded it around town.

And this isn’t his first rodeo — literally.

Mason made headlines back in December when he led police on a drunken chase through Danville while riding a malnourished mule. Witnesses at the time said he was using a bullwhip on bar patrons before galloping away. He was later charged with trespassing in that case.

As for the raccoon incident, the bar’s owner summed it up best to police while watching the surveillance footage: “He’s got a death wish or something… but meth’s a helluva drug.”