MURRAY – The Murray man who made national headlines in December after several witnesses posted videos on social media of him fleeing police on a mule was arrested again Friday after allegedly releasing a raccoon inside a local bar.
Jonathan “Cody” Mason, 40, long-known locally to many as “Cowboy Cody,” still has three misdemeanor cases pending in Calloway District Court, stemming from multiple incidents that took place over a four-day period in December. Now, he faces three new misdemeanor charges and one felony.
At approximately 9:18 p.m. Friday, the Murray Police Department dispatched officers to Big Apple Grill and Bar after receiving a complaint that an individual released a raccoon inside the business, according to the uniform citation. While en route, officers were advised the individual fled the scene in a red truck with a horse trailer in tow. Upon locating the vehicle, officers conducted a traffic stop.
Mason allegedly refused to roll down the windows to speak to the officers, who, as noted in the citation, approached the vehicle with their firearms drawn “as this individual Jonathan Mason had a history of involving firearms when dealing with” law enforcement.
Eventually, officers broke the driver’s side window using a window breaker, opened the door and removed Mason from the vehicle; however, unbeknownst to the officers at the time, the truck was in neutral and proceeded to roll into an MPD unit, causing damage to the vehicle. The Calloway County Sheriff’s Office was contacted to file an accident report regarding the collision, and during that process, it was discovered that the truck was not insured.
As MPD continued its investigation, officers learned that one individual at the Big Apple was bitten by the raccoon. They also verified that Mason was previously told he was not allowed on the Big Apple’s property.
After being taken to Murray-Calloway County Hospital for treatment of minor injuries, upon release, Mason was lodged in the Calloway County Detention Center on charges of second-degree assault, third-degree criminal trespassing, resisting arrest and failure of owner to maintain required insurance, first offense.
He was arraigned on the new charges in Calloway County District Court this morning. Murray attorney Mitchell “Mitch” Ryan, who also represents Mason in his pending misdemeanor cases, asked Calloway District Judge Randall Hutchens to consider reducing his client’s bond, noting that Mason’s mother could pay $500 (10%) but not the full $5,000 cash bond Hutchens set over the weekend.
“Mr. Mason has always done what I’ve asked him to do,” Ryan said. “He’s always appeared in court. Where he stays is a long, long way away from Murray, and I think he can stay away from people, places and things for the next little while until we get this resolved.”
Hearkening back to 2024, Hutchens noted that alcohol was a contributing factor in Mason’s misdemeanor cases.
“I don’t have a whole lot of information regarding the facts (in the new case), but I’m relatively certainly there was no alcohol involved in this,” Ryan told the judge. “I do know that the Apple was involved, but I don’t think there’s any alcohol. Matter of fact, I don’t know that he even made it into the building.”
“Here’s my problem,” Hutchens interjected. “Let’s get passed the felony issue … call it resolved, but then we’ve got this resisting (arrest). They had to break a window in to get him out. There ended up being damage to a police vehicle. All because of his behavior when they tried to communicate with him and confront him about the underlying felony allegations. He already has fleeing or evading in one of his priors, and the combination concerns me.”
Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney James Burkeen voiced his opposition to the request, noting that Mason was out on bond in three other cases when he was arrested Friday.
“That’s where I’m at, too,” Hutchens said. “Mr. Mason, if I let you out on bond in one case, you can’t continue to get in more trouble while out on bond. You’re a member of the public. You would expect me, as a judge, with regard to anybody else in the world, if they continue to get in trouble while they’re out on bond, then I shouldn’t let them out. You wouldn’t want me to do that. That’s where I am right now.”
Ryan asked the judge to consider in-home incarceration until Mason returns to court next week for his preliminary hearing in this case.
“You may talk me into it next Wednesday, but today I’m not going to,” Hutchens responded.
Mason’s next court appearance is scheduled for Wednesday, June 18, at 9:30 a.m.
Individuals charged with crimes are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.