On Monday, December 30, 2024, a man named was pulled over by California Highway Patrol for reckless driving on I-99 near Madera, California while driving a Rolls Royce. At the time, officers alleged that the man was driving dangerously fast, and they suspected that he may have been intoxicated—a theory supported by the fact that he was carrying several large containers full of marijuana in the vehicle.
But the weed, it turned out, was not the biggest issue. (It is California, after all.) No, the most notable detail of the traffic stop was the discovery of a baby spider monkey—approximately one month old—sitting in the front passenger seat of the car while wearing a pink onesie pajama set.
As the Los Angeles Times noted:
Not only is it illegal to own primates as pets in California, but it's also especially dangerous to own a baby spider monkey, experts say. The young primates, which are endangered, require constant supervision and skilled care to survive.
While possession of a primate is certainly a crime, the legality of dressing said monkey in a ridiculous outfit and driving them without a child car seat is a bit of a grey area.
The monkey was brought to the county animal services department, where it was diapered and fed mashed bananas. Given its notable attire, the county staff decided to name the ape "Marcel"—you know, like the dapper monkey from Friends. Marcel has since been re-homed to the Oakland Zoo.
The driver, meanwhile, has been re-homed to a county jail cell on charges that include possession of an exotic animal and possession of cannabis for sale.
A Rolls-Royce Ghost, a spider monkey in a onesie and weed: CHP makes an unusual stop [Clara Harter / Los Angeles Times]
Baby spider monkey wearing onesie in Rolls Royce finds permanent California home [Ricardo Tovar / KSBW8 Action News]
