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Texas Man Accused of Biting Off a Rattlesnake’s Rattle and Hiding the Snake in Neighbor’s RV

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Tony Maples Photography

 

It’s the ultimate nightmare of an ophidiophobe (someone who fears snakes), but the thought of crossing paths with a snake in your own home can send chills up anyone’s spine – even if it’s a mobile home. Yet, a man from Caldwell County, Texas, is being accused of causing such a creepy occurrence. Felton Ryan Saunter was recently arrested with misdemeanor charges for criminal trespass and deadly conduct. Accusations have been leveled against him of capturing a rattlesnake, biting its rattle off, and releasing it into a neighbor’s RV. The belief is that he had hoped it would strike the RV’s owner, causing an abrupt end to the argument they’d been having.

Texas Man Accused of Biting Off a Rattlesnake's Rattle and Hiding the Snake in Neighbor's RV

Photo: Pixabay

According to police, an RV community in Dale set the scene for one of the more bizarre crimes in recent history. 39-year-old Saunter was arrested after Keith Monroe, the neighbor who lives in the RV in which the snake was discovered, alleged that Saunter emerged from the home, and shortly thereafter he found the rattlesnake on the driver’s side of his RV. Monroe stated that he killed the snake and then phoned the police. It hasn’t been revealed what the two were arguing about.

Texas Man Accused of Biting Off a Rattlesnake's Rattle and Hiding the Snake in Neighbor's RV

Photo: Pixabay

The incident took place on June 17, in which Saunter is alleged to have removed the snake’s rattle with his teeth to silence the menacing reptile. Monroe has revealed in a statement to fox40.com, “I was scared, really,” after noting Saunter leaving his RV and asking him what he was doing. The response he received was, “You’ll see.” Monroe later found himself in need of a machete to kill the snake, which was later identified in police reports to have had its rattle removed.