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Police: Man Threw Iguana At Manager Inside Restaurant

PAINESVILLE, Ohio (CBS Local) -- An Ohio diner faces animal cruelty charges after he allegedly used a pet iguana as a weapon inside a restaurant, authorities said.

Officers responded to a disorderly conduct complaint at a Perkins restaurant in Painesville just before noon on Tuesday.

Police say a 49-year-old man pulled out the iguana from under his shirt, swung it around his head by its tail and threw it at the restaurant manager before running off.

The suspect, who has not yet been identified, was captured a short time later a few blocks away, according to police. He allegedly resisted arrest while officers attempted to apprehend him.

The man was charged with disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and animal cruelty.

Officers took the iguana, which they named "Copper," to the Lake County Humane Society for an evaluation by a veterinarian.

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