VIDEO: Furry fiend wreaks havoc at Panola County courthouse annex

PANOLA COUNTY, TX (KLTV) - A furry visitor stopped by the offices at the Panola County courthouse annex Wednesday afternoon.

Cheyenne Lampley, the elections administrator for Panola County, was in her office when a "humongous” raccoon crashed through the ceiling in the cooperative extension offices. She was first alerted of the intruder when she heard the screams of the extension office’s secretary, who had came face-to-face with the critter.

While Lampley barricaded herself in her office and called for help, masked intruder quickly worked to escape. The raccoon had shuffled its way to the front door where it jumped on the glass in an attempt to get out.

The day was saved when the extension’s office secretary bravely pushed the door open, allowing the hefty raccoon to dart off.

However, that wasn’t the last they would hear from the intruder.

On Thursday morning, Lampley’s secretary came to find the offices at the annex in shambles.

According to Lampley, the raccoon returned to the building overnight Wednesday, falling through the same hole it had made that afternoon. The raccoon caused significant damage during it’s second trip, knocking over plants, flyers and Christmas decorations. And when it was time to leave, the critter didn’t have anyone to open the door for it.

Instead it climbed up a shelf and gnawed a new hole in the ceiling, giving itself a new place to escape.

Thursday morning crews managed to find and patch up the exterior hole that allowed the raccoon entry into the building.

Lampley said they have been hearing scratches and the sounds of critters in the walls at the annex for about a year. While they have joked about what could possibly be in the walls, this is the first time they’ve encountered it face-to-face.

For the time being she hopes that this is the last they hear from the raccoon, at least until the offices close for the holidays.

Copyright 2018 KLTV. All rights reserved.