IE 11 is not supported. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser.

Washington Cops Chase Down Suspect With a (Real) Monkey on His Back

When Burien, Washington, police caught up with the man, he had a monkey clinging to his back, which turned out to be a pet.
IMAGE: Monkey business in Burien, Washington
Washington police arrested this man on suspicion of leaving the scene of an accident. The monkey was found to be blameless and released.Burien Police Department

Police near Seattle handled a case Wednesday that was really bananas — chasing down a reckless driver who fled his car with a monkey on his back.

That's not a figure of speech.

IMAGE: Monkey business in Burien, Washington
Washington police arrested this man on suspicion of leaving the scene of an accident. The monkey was found to be blameless and released.Burien Police Department

Police in Burien, 10 miles south of Seattle, said the man, who wasn't identified, was clocked by a Washington state trooper doing 112 mph Wednesday morning.

The trooper couldn't keep up, but the man soon crashed into a neighborhood.

Witnesses told Burien police, who joined the foot chase, that the man stopped and returned to his car to retrieve something — which they described, unexpectedly, as a monkey.

Sure enough, when officers caught up with him, the man had a monkey clinging to his back, which turned out to be a pet. He was held on suspicion of leaving the scene of an accident, police said.

"Once we determined the monkey was not the driver, we released him to a family member," police said. "He was only engaged in monkey business."