RICHLANDS, N.C. (WNCT) – Two people face animal cruelty charges after Onslow County Animal Services said they lit a snake on fire.
Garen Whittington, 22, of Jacksonville and Dustin Shearin, 17, of Trenton, were both charged with animal cruelty.
Animal Services officials said it happened in the parking lot of the Walmart Super Store in Richlands on May 16.
A brown water snake found under a parked car was struck multiple times, partially run over by a truck and then doused with engine starter fluid and set on fire until it died.
Two separate videos of the incident were recorded, according to the Onslow County Animal Services.
On May 17, a link to the video was sent Onslow County Animal Services, and they started an investigation, which lead to charges being filed against Whittington and Shearin.
