Man Says Snake Used As Weapon In Assault

ROCK HILL, S.C.,None — Police have charged a Rock Hill man with using a snake as a weapon.

Tony Smith, 29, is out of jail, and facing assault and battery charges.

"I just don't do snakes. I'm scared to death of them," said 47-year-old Jeff Culp, who told Eyewitness News his bizarre tale on Wednesday.

Culp and his wife Nancy are staying at the Executive Inn on Anderson road. On Tuesday night, Culp said he asked his neighbors a few doors down from him to turn down their music. Culp exchanged words with one of them, and said a while later, that neighbor, Smith, came back holding a python.

"He just walked up and tapped me on my shoulder, and stuck the snake in my face."

But it was worse than that. Culp said Smith pinched the snake's head so its mouth opened, then touched his face with it, and even stuck it partially into his mouth.

The incident nearly made Culp sick. "I fell down and crawled back here into my room. I took a shower for three hours last night. I just can't stand those things touching me," he said.

Another eyewitness who was on the motel balcony when the incident happened called police. They arrived and found Smith walking around still carrying the snake in his arms. He was arrested, and taken to jail, then released Wednesday afternoon on a $1,000 bond.

The manager at the Executive Inn said guests pay a fee to keep small dogs and cats, but snakes are not allowed. The manager said the python was not being kept at the motel. However, Jeff and Nancy Culp said they saw someone carrying it out of a room in a large aquarium Wednesday morning.

The snake that police said was used in the assault was a 4-foot-long ball python. Eyewitness News found a woman in Rock Hill who owns one.

She didn't want to be identified, but said they make great pets because they're docile, and don't bite.

Culp said as terrified as he is of any snake, it didn't matter what it was.

"It happened in a split second. I had no way of knowing if that was a poisonous snake, or a black snake that eats rats or whatever. No way of knowing."

WSOC