Accused Car Thief Arrested With Monkey Accomplice

HOLIDAY, FL -- Pasco County Sheriff's deputies got a bit of a surprise when they arrested a Holly Hill man for car theft. He had an unusual accomplice with him -- a Capuchin monkey.

Sheriff's deputies arrested Cody Blake Hession, 23, of 1646 Valencia Ave., Holly Hill, at about 4:24 a.m. Friday morning, June 8, after he reportedly stole a car and then drove it into a ditch near 2715 U.S. 19 in Holiday. In the process of cuffing Hession, deputies noticed he wasn't alone. He had a Capuchin monkey clinging to him.

"It was quite a surprise," said Deputy Zachary Dendler. "I certainly wasn't expecting to see a monkey when I approached the car in the ditch."

Hession said he purchased the monkey, named Monk, about four years ago in North Carolina. However, he did not have a permit for the monkey so deputies called the Florida Wildlife and Conservation Commission, which transported the monkey to the Suncoast Primate Sanctuary in Palm Harbor.

Hession reportedly found the car unlocked in St. Petersburg and then discovered the car keys on the floorboard.

Pasco deputies say he initially denied being the driver of the ditched car. Later, he said the owner gave him the keys to the car to drive someone home to Pinellas County.

Dendler said the monkey isn't implicated in the theft.

"I don’t believe the monkey participated in any crime," he said.

Hession faces grand theft auto charges along with possession of an exotic animal without a permit.

Video via Pasco Sheriff