Ride-along rodent trashes Pa. man’s car

WHITEHALL, Pa. - A stowaway groundhog created quite a mess, not to mention a ruckus that drew police, a state wildlife officer, and even the mayor, when it became trapped inside a car near Allentown.

The fat, furry rodent tore up the backseat of a 1995 Pontiac Bonneville and used the car as a toilet. Tyler Duncan, 20, of New Tripoli, made the unpleasant discovery Sunday afternoon when he returned to the car after a sleepover at a friend's house in Whitehall Township, according to the Allentown Morning Call.

Township police and a state wildlife officer worked together to catch the woodchuck, which was caged and then released to the wild. Authorities believe it had traveled about 15 miles with Duncan, from New Tripoli to Whitehall. Whitehall Mayor Ed Hozza Jr. joked that he gave a "direct order" to take the groundhog back to New Tripoli.   - AP