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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Huckleberries Online

Chuck the Marmot gets full pardon after being caught stowing away

Chuck the Marmot had quietly stowed away in an engine compartment of a vehicle parked at Post Falls Walmart. However, he was discovered when the customer couldn't start her car. (PFPD photo)
Chuck the Marmot had quietly stowed away in an engine compartment of a vehicle parked at Post Falls Walmart. However, he was discovered when the customer couldn't start her car. (PFPD photo)

Tongue firmly cheeked, a Post Falls PD officer penned the following report re: a persistent stowaway who was found in an engine compartment at the Post Falls Walmart:

Officers responded to Walmart when a customer was unable to get her car to start. She opened her hood and found a rather large Marmot trapped in the engine compartment. With the assistance of a kind citizen and a handy tow truck operator from Recovery Masters the Officers worked tirelessly to remove the animal’s fur from the fan belt. Once Unstuck Chuck was free Officers began the tedious task of negotiation with the furry stowaway. Chuck was very reluctant to leave his new found feast of electrical wires. When attempts to talk him down failed the Officers and helpers turned to their tools and used multiple methods of extraction. Finally, Chuck gave up and fled the Dodge Neon. While congratulatory back patting was taking place Chuck returned to his life of crime and found another vehicle to unlawfully enter. Once again, Officers tried to reason with the rodent who now seemed tired and perhaps a little stressed out. Begrudgingly, he quickly gave up and was captured. Officers quickly took him into custody and left the area before Chuck could reoffend. We are happy to announce that Chuck was granted a full pardon and was released back into his natural habitat. He has been trespassed from Walmart.



Huckleberries Online

D.F. Oliveria started Huckleberries Online on Feb. 16, 2004. Oliveria's Sunday print Huckleberries is a past winner of the national Herb Caen Memorial Column contest.