Woman allegedly threw live snake at victim before stealing car, leading police on chase
Police are investigating a bizarre carjacking in South Carolina where a woman allegedly threw a live snake at another woman before stealing her vehicle.
Hilmary Moreno-Berrios, 29, threw wooden sticks and a non-venomous black snake at a woman in Greenville, South Carolina, before she took off in the victim's Honda SUV, according to police.
Officers caught up with her later in the night on Friday when she allegedly led police on a high-speed chase in the stolen vehicle, crashing through street barricades on a closed street and nearly running over several pedestrians, according to surveillance footage released on Tuesday.
The pursuit ended when Moreno-Berrios crashed into a moving car, the Greenville Police Department said in a statement, dubbing her the "snake-throwing carjacker." The department said she caused more than $17,220 worth of damage to city property during the chase.
"This footage shows the terrifying moments as Moreno-Berrios barrels down Main Street and onto the Liberty Bridge- narrowly missing several people as they scatter towards safety," the statement said. "The suspect was caught a short time later by GPD officers after she struck a moving vehicle containing a mother and daughter and attempting to flee."
She was arrested and charged with carjacking and malicious damage to personal property. She also received five traffic citations.
She complained of an injured shoulder and was taken to an area hospital for treatment after her arrest, police said. Moreno-Berrios remained under doctor’s care for psychiatric testing and evaluation through the weekend and was released to police custody on Monday.
"The bizarre incident garnered widespread community attention not only for the chase through the heavily-populated route the suspect traveled, but also because Moreno-Berrios carjacked the Honda CR-V by throwing sticks and what turned out to be a live, non-venomous black snake at the victim," the statement said. "Due to the fact that the snake was alive and non-venomous, GPD officers released it into the woods adjacent to the apartment complex."
She was being held on a $25,000 bond. Police are still working to figure out a possible motive behind the incident.
