A rising Minnesota lawmaker was captured grinning in a mugshot after he was arrested for allegedly throwing a live tarantula at a homeowner during a fight.
Marisa Simonetti, 30, was handcuffed on suspicion of assault last Friday after she allegedly threw the eight-legged animal at a home in the Minneapolis suburb of Edina. Fox 9 report.
The crime allegedly began when his housemate, local attorney Jackie Vasquez, called 911 to report Simonetti was trespassing on her property.
When police arrived, the alleged victim told police Simonetti, a candidate for Hennepin County Commission, had thrown spiders and other junk at her during a dispute over a lease.
The video is Social media Simonetti was seen removing the tarantula from a container and discarding it on a staircase inside the house.
Simonetti, meanwhile, claims the dispute began when he accused Vasquez of being a squatter.
The rival councilman, who does not own property, said he rented a room to Vasquez through a short-term rental website several weeks ago but refused to move out when his lease expired.
“Maybe I should have invited her over for tea and crumpets,” Simonetti told the outlet about the altercation.
Simonetti was held in custody over the weekend and released after a court hearing on Monday.
Despite the spider fiasco, Simonetti said he still intends to run for Hennepin County commissioner.
“I’m good at creatively solving problems, and at the end of the day, I’m not physically harming anyone,” she said.
“I do things that are a little unconventional sometimes. I mean, I’m a silly person.”
