Published: November 19, 2009 09:22 pm         

Terre Haute man in critical condition after shooting self in head

TERRE HAUTE — A Terre Haute man was in critical condition Thursday after shooting himself in the head.

Meanwhile, his alleged conspirators in a drug deal gone bad now face felony charges.

Chris Mundell was flown by helicopter to an Indianapolis hospital Wednesday after witnesses say he spun the cylinder of a revolver, placed the gun to his head and pulled the trigger. The second time he spun the cylinder and pulled the trigger, the gun fired, injuring Mundell.

Terre Haute Police responded to the reported shooting, and later talked to witnesses Corey A. Brooks, 25, and Casie Sue Rudisel, 28, at the police station.

Detective Josh Pirtle said Brooks and Rudisel both said Mundell, who has a felony record, had fired a round from the gun into his truck’s floorboard Tuesday evening. They said he was messing around with the gun Wednesday, playing Russian Roulette, when it fired on Mundell’s second attempt.

Pirtle said it had been the intention of Mundell, Brooks and Rudisel to use the gun to rob a person of money and drugs after they arranged to buy a large quantity of methamphetamine from the person. The drug deal fell through, however.

Brooks and Rudisel were both charged Thursday morning in Vigo Superior Court 1 with conspiracy to commit armed robbery, a class-B felony. Brooks also faces a felony charge of possession of a handgun by a convicted felon.