What happened
Where it happened
- Franklin Township, Somerset County.
A Franklin Township couple got an unwelcome surprise this month after returning home from a wheel alignment appointment: a 3-foot ball python wedged into the front grille of their car.
Vehicle owner Aiyana Hudson discovered the snake on Oakland Avenue and said she was relieved it never made its way into the car while she was driving. She called police, who in turn called animal control -- but animal control said snakes were outside its jurisdiction, since it only handles domesticated animals.
That left the officers to handle it themselves. Franklin Township Police Officer Lisseth Villacis said animal control's refusal made the department "the last resort." Video from the scene shows officers spending roughly 20 minutes removing the vehicle's bumper to free the snake, using an animal-handling hook to finally pull it loose. "We were just like, OK, he's being brave, I'm being brave. We got this," Villacis said.
The ball python was freed unharmed and taken to an animal shelter, where it's expected to be available for adoption. How it ended up in the grille in the first place remains a mystery -- ball pythons are among the most commonly kept pet snakes, but police haven't determined where this one came from or who it belongs to.
Watch the original TikTok from ABC7NY
Video: ABC7NY / TikTok
Continue with related coverage
Use these archive links to keep following this story by location and topic.
