The monkey found during the inspection of a Rolls-Royce was neither drunk nor out of sorts. The man behind the wheel was.
Monkey found in Rolls-Royce under police control.
During a routine traffic stop in California on December 30, police discovered a monkey in a Rolls-Royce. The driver of the car was actually pulled over for speeding. But police quickly discovered that he was also under the influence of drugs.
After searching the car, police found a large amount of marijuana, enough to charge the driver with possession for the purpose of sale. They also found a baby monkey, believed to be a marmoset, about a month old, in the car.
It is illegal to keep marmosets as pets in California. The driver of the car, whose name and age have not been released by police, was arrested and charged with a number of offenses.
The charges include speeding, driving under the influence of drugs, possession of marijuana with intent to sell and illegal possession of an exotic animal.
"What began as a routine speeding ticket quickly turned into something far more spectacular," a California Highway Patrol spokesman said after the arrest.
Monkeys and other exotic animals require special care and attention, and it is illegal to keep them as pets in many US states.
Ape babies are particularly vulnerable and need to be with their mother and other monkeys to develop properly. It is unclear where the monkey in the white Rolls-Royce came from or how long it had been in the car.
After the arrest, the police took the monkey into their care, but it was quickly handed over to a local animal shelter, where it will be cared for until authorities find a suitable home for it.
The Fresno Chaffee Zoo has been mentioned as a possible new home for the animal. The episode is a reminder that police can encounter unexpected situations in their work.
It's also a reminder that it's illegal to keep exotic animals as pets and that driving under the influence of drugs is dangerous and illegal, neither of which seems to appeal to some drivers.
