Iguana thrown in restaurant incident reunited with owner

PAINESVILLE, Ohio – An iguana that a man allegedly used as a weapon has been reunited with its rightful owner.

Painesville police say the iguana rejoined Jordan Piert and her family on Friday. The iguana had gotten away from the family last year while they were moving to Virginia.

The lizard was in the news in April after a man was arrested on charges of disorderly conduct and animal cruelty after pulling it from under his shirt and throwing the animal at a restaurant manager in northeast Ohio. WJW-TV in Cleveland reports that Piert read a story about the charges and then contacted the Lake Humane Society, which used photos and other records to confirm her claim.

The man has pleaded not guilty. The iguana has recovered from a fractured leg.