Police Rescue Three-Foot Python Stuck In NJ Woman's Car Grille

A New Jersey woman faced a slithery shock when she got back from a wheel alignment only to find a three-foot python jammed inside her car's front grille. Police had to tear apart sections of the vehicle just to get the reptile out safely. Aiyana Hudson made this startling discovery on Sept. 14 in Franklin Township, and she immediately called for help, according to WABC-TV.

Body camera footage captured responding officers checking the situation and figuring out how to remove the snake without hurting it or themselves. Officer Lisseth Villacis explained that they first tried contacting animal control, but got a cold response from the agency. They only deal with domesticated animals, she said, so police became the last resort for this wild encounter.

Taking matters into their own hands, officers removed parts of the car, including the front bumper, to reach the trapped creature seen clearly in the video. After about twenty minutes of careful work, they managed to untangle and safely free the snake. Animal control officials later identified it as a three-foot ball python that was unharmed during the ordeal.

Hudson felt relieved the unexpected passenger never found its way inside while she was driving. I was just really happy that it didn't pop its head through the AC vent when I was driving or come in through the steering wheel, she told reporters. She also warned that her car would have been lit on fire and they'd be calling the fire department at that point if things went wrong.

How the python ended up in the grille remains unclear to everyone involved. The snake was taken to the Franklin Township Animal Shelter after being freed, according to MyCentralJersey.com. Franklin Township Public Safety Director Lloyd Fredericks also reminded residents that releasing exotic pets into the wild is illegal and can pose a threat to native wildlife and household pets. Residents who have pet snakes and can no longer care for them should surrender it to the township animal shelter instead of letting it go loose.