Venomous Copperhead Snake Bites Man In Paterson: Cops

PASSAIC COUNTY, NJ — A man was bitten by a venomous copperhead snake in Paterson Saturday night, officials said.

The man was bitten on his index finger near a Passaic River bank, said John DeCando, Paterson's animal control officer.

The snake was not even a foot long, DeCando said. The man was taken to St. Joseph's Medical Center for treatment and had to be given a vaccine, officials said.

Authorities do not know how the snake got there, or how the unidentified man came into contact with it. The snake was not a pet and could have come from a nearby river, DeCando said.

The man is "doing OK" and expected to recover, DeCando said.

The snake was taken away by Paterson Animal Control and a licensed snake expert from the state, said Paterson Police Director Jerry Speziale.

Copperheads are red and brown and have dark-colored crossbands and are easily camouflaged, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection states. They live in rocky slopes and forests in the northern region of New Jersey, particularly in Passaic, Hunterdon, Warren, and Sussex counties. The DEP warns against handling the snakes.

The DEP warns people who encounter a venomous snake to stay at least five feed away. Venomous snakes' bites may be "dry" and not inject any venom into a victim. Such strikes are done in defense rather than to get food, the DEP said in a brochure about New Jersey snakes.

Bite victims should stay calm, call 911 immediately, and not try to drive themselves to a hospital, the DEP said.

"If you see something and you don't know what it is, don't touch it," DeCando said.

Email: daniel.hubbard@patch.com