In a story that sounds like a deleted scene from Tiger King: Appalachian Edition, police in Springfield Township, Summit County made national headlines after discovering a pet raccoon in the driver’s seat of a car—with a meth pipe in its mouth.
The raccoon, named Chewy, has since become a viral sensation, a four-legged meme legend, and an unfortunate symbol of just how weird traffic stops in Ohio can get.
The Arrest That Shocked, Then Confused the Nation
The incident went down when Officer Austin Branham pulled over a suspicious vehicle on South Arlington Road. The registered owner, 55-year-old Victoria Vidal, had an active warrant and a suspended license. While the traffic stop began as routine, it quickly veered into Florida-Man-on-vacation-in-Ohio territory.
After arresting Vidal without incident, Officer Branham returned to the vehicle—and that’s when things got… uniquely Ohioan.
“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,” said the police department’s press release, which did not include the sound of jaws dropping—but should have.
The officers went on to find 7.15 grams of crystal meth, 0.10 grams of crack cocaine, and three used glass meth pipes inside the vehicle. Vidal is now facing several felony drug charges and a citation for driving under suspension. Chewy, on the other paw, was unharmed and reportedly quite chill about the whole thing.
Wait… Which Springfield Township?
As news spread, residents across Ohio started checking their own backyards—because it turns out Ohio has eleven different Springfield Townships. Yes, eleven. If you’re keeping score at home (or just really invested in raccoon-based crime), here’s the full list:
- Springfield Township, Clark County
- Springfield Township, Gallia County
- Springfield Township, Hamilton County
- Springfield Township, Jefferson County
- Springfield Township, Lucas County
- Springfield Township, Mahoning County
- Springfield Township, Muskingum County
- Springfield Township, Richland County
- Springfield Township, Ross County
- Springfield Township, Summit County ← The guilty one
- Springfield Township, Williams County
So, if your local raccoons are still foraging for acorns and not methamphetamine, you’re probably in one of the other ten.
Is It Legal to Keep a Raccoon as a Pet?
Shockingly—yes, in Ohio it is legal to keep a raccoon as a pet, provided you have the proper permits from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR). According to police, Chewy’s owner did have the necessary paperwork, which raises even more questions about what kind of vet visit results in: “Okay, you’re cleared to legally own a raccoon—just don’t let it do drugs.”
Officer Ty Klapp, who also responded to the scene, recalled the moment vividly:
“They didn’t have windows—just a picket fence on the passenger side. That was weird enough. But the raccoon? Holding the pipe? That’s going to stay with me for a while.”
A family member arrived later with a dog crate to collect Chewy, who is now back in family custody, hopefully far away from any suspicious glassware.
