A Louisville, Kentucky registered sex offender accused of masturbating in a public park denied the incident when questioned by police, saying instead he was startled by a groundhog while urinating.

According to the Louisville Courier-Journal, an unidentified victim spotted a man in a public park last Thursday. The man appeared to be following her and another person around the park with his pants down and his genitals exposed.

The man, 53-year-old Robert McCoy was arrested and charged with first-degree sexual abuse. But according to his statement to police, McCoy explained the incident as a misunderstanding.

He claims he was urinating in the park, when his pants fell down. He then claimed he was startled by a groundhog nearby and quickly turned around, possibly exposing himself to passersby.

According to WAVE-TV, McCoy is listed as a registered sex offender. He’s due back in court on Aug. 21.

Alex Hider is a writer for the E.W. Scripps National Desk. Follow him on Twitter @alexhider.