Crime & Safety
Man Bitten Near Rockville By Copperhead Is Snake Advocate
A Rockville man bitten by a copperhead says that he's had several encounters with snakes, but only this one ended badly.
DERWOOD, MD — A man bitten by a Copperhead snake is pleading with people not to harm any snakes, as the animals are helpful, according to a report by WUSA9.
The victim, identified by the television station as Jimmy Hemmig, said he was bitten Monday after accidentally stepping on the reptile as he was getting out of a canoe at Lake Needwood in Derwood in Montgomery County.
In a WUSA9 interview, Hemmig pleaded, "Don't kill them. Just leave them alone." The snakes can help eliminate vermin that linger around homes, he added.
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It is important to remain calm after a snake bite to prevent the heart from pumping the poison through the body, Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Spokesperson Pete Piringer said in a tweet.
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Keep the bite area lower than the heart and seek medical help.
The Maryland Poison Control Center says the Northern Copperhead and the Timber Rattlesnake are two venomous snakes native to Maryland.
(Photo via Pete Piringer, Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services)
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