After stopping a driver for speeding, police discovered a baby spider monkey dressed in a pink onesie inside the car.
An officer from the California Highway Patrol (CHP) in Madera made the unusual find on Monday, December 30, 2024. According to officials, the officer had pulled over a Rolls Royce Ghost on SR-99 near Avenue 17 for driving too fast... Continue reading here ▶
The driver, 27-year-old Ali Mused Adel Mohamed, was arrested for driving under the influence (DUI) and possession of cannabis for sale. Additionally, he was charged with owning an illegal exotic animal. In California, it is against the law to keep primates as pets.
Photos from the scene showed the monkey in its onesie, as well as bags of cannabis, containers, and five cell phones on the car’s hood.
“The driver had a baby monkey holding on to him. That’s definitely not something we see every day,” said CHP Madera spokesperson Sergio Moreno.
The Madera County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that Mohamed was booked into the county jail and faces multiple charges, including owning the spider monkey illegally.
After the arrest, the officer volunteered to take the monkey home and care for it overnight. The next morning, the monkey was taken to Madera County Animal Services. From there, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife transferred the monkey to the Oakland Zoo, where it will receive proper care.
Animal Services and CHP shared updates on the incident through social media posts, highlighting the monkey’s journey to a safe environment.
