Critter's visit to store hits a snag

The dispatcher said 'something growling and bigger than a dog' was in the store.
By NANCY TULLIS
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- After a few tense moments and a capture on the city's East Side, Patrolman Greg Mullennex of Youngstown Police Department has a new nickname: Groundhog Greg.
A groundhog that may have been flooded out of its burrow during a downpour Friday afternoon caused quite a stir when it sought shelter in the McGuffey Speed Check convenience store at the corner of McGuffey Road and Albert Street.
Owner Harnek Singh and his son, Shampy Singh, were working in the store around 4 p.m. Friday when the groundhog entered through the front door, which was propped open.
"It was raining, and he just ran in," Shampy said. "We thought it was a raccoon."
Mullennex and Patrolman Ronnie Jones responded to the store on a call from the dispatcher that "something growling and bigger than a dog" was inside and wouldn't leave.
They cautiously approached the far corner of the store and found their suspect was a frightened vegetarian rather than some species of dangerous carnivore.
The wayward woodchuck, wedged between cases of soda, peered up at the two officers.
Snagging the hog
After several minutes discussing various options, they called the Mahoning County Dog Warden for backup. Before anyone from the dog warden's office showed up, however, another YPD officer who heard the call arrived with a snare.
Jones, who's been a YPD officer more than 20 years, said he's never had such a call.
"I've dealt with raccoons and deer, even a deer that was wandering around on the Youngstown State University campus, but nothing like this," he said. "You just never know. Anything like this can happen on any given day."
It was Mullennex who snatched the groundhog and returned him to "the wild," a grassy field behind the store from where the critter likely came.
"My heart was pounding," said Mullennex, who has been with the police department six years.
This was his first groundhog capture.
"Just as I got the snare in place, he moved and I got him around the middle," Mullennex said. "He was pretty heavy."
"You're the man!" the other officers said as Mullennex carried the squirming groundhog out of the store. Mullennex said coming face to face with an East Side groundhog was definitely not on his planner for the day.
"I'm just doing my job," Mullennex said, laughing.
tullis@vindy.com