Man accused of beheading Woodbury woman’s pet snake

Bail conditions were set Wednesday for a man accused of entering his ex-girlfriend’s Woodbury home and ripping the head off her pet snake.

Woodbury police arrested the man, 38-year-old Brian Jeffrey Schmidt of Anoka, on Tuesday – two days after the woman returned to her house to find her snake dead and her belongings soiled.

Washington County prosecutors charged Schmidt with first-degree burglary, terroristic threats and torturing animals – all felonies.

He remained in Washington County jail after District Court Judge Susan Miles set his bail Wednesday at $30,000 without conditions or $15,000 with conditions.

Police were called at 2 a.m. Sunday to the woman’s Buckingham Road residence for a report that her ex-boyfriend had threatened to kill her and had killed her snake.

According to a criminal complaint, the events unfolded like this:

While away from the house, the victim learned from her babysitter that Schmidt had entered the residence and was drunk.

He argued with the babysitter, who told him to leave, and then remained at the residence.

The victim – who police said had ordered Schmidt not to come to her home – returned home to find Schmidt sleeping in her bed. She agreed to drive him back to his vehicle parked at Throwback’s Bar in Woodbury.

During the drive, Schmidt screamed death threats at her. After being ordered out of the car, “he continued screaming and told her unless she wanted to die, she better drive him to his car,” the complaint states.

Schmidt also told the woman to expect “a nice surprise” when she returned home, which prompted her to ask what the statement meant.

“You better … drive or else,” he responded, according to the victim.

After dropping him off at the bar, he punched her car and attempted to block her exit. She escaped by backing out onto Woodlane Drive while he chased after her on foot.

The woman arrived home to find the snake’s head torn off and her belongings soiled. Bottles of lotion had been emptied into her clothing drawer and it appeared urine was on her clothes. Her cell phone was also missing.

If convicted of the least serious of the three charges –animal abuse – Schmidt faces a maximum penalty of four years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

He makes his initial appearance March 7.

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