Man arrested for shoving snake excrement in girlfriend's mouth

An Elyria man was arrested and charged with domestic violence early on Friday for allegedly putting excrement from a poisonous snake in his girlfriend’s mouth, according to an Elyria police report. Amber Pennell, 21, told police Matthew Rudisill, 24, called her and told her he was going to ruin her bedroom. The two have a child and own a house together.

When Pennell got there, she found nothing had been done to the room. When she tried to leave, Rudisill blocked the door, she said, so she took a coral snake from its holding tank and threatened to let it go if he would not let her leave. Pennell said Rudisill grabbed the snake by the tail, took excrement from it, and shoved his hand in her mouth, causing her to gag.



Rudisill returned the snake to the holding tank and told her to hit him. Coral snake venom is highly toxic, but the species rarely bites humans unless provoked. Pennell said Rudisill pushed her into the doorframe, causing a laceration under her right eye. She fell and he lay on top of her on the floor, she said. When she tried to push him away with her forearm, he bit it. Pennell said she got free and went outside.

Rudisill told police he did not strike Pennel or put snake excrement in her mouth, but he said Pennel did bite him on the hand. He could not say how it happened. Police arrested Rudisill at about 3:30 a.m. at their home on the 100 block of Caroline Street. After an initial court appearance Friday, Rudisill was released on a recognizance bond with a condition of staying away from Pennell and the residence.