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TIMES FREE-PRESS (Chatanooga, Tennessee) 04 February 11 Arrest in snakebite death called part of larger probe (Kate Harrison )
State officials have charged a man they call a "major player in the transportation and importation of poisonous snakes into the state of Tennessee," opening a new chapter in the investigation of an East Ridge man's snakebite death Sunday.
But Chuck Hurd, who was arrested by officers with the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, said his Wednesday arrest "has no bearing on Wade Westbrook's death whatsoever."
Hurd, of Gate City, Va., was "found to have transported and housed a large black plastic box containing 12 highly venomous snakes," arrest records show. He is charged with 48 counts — four counts for each snake: possession of Class 1 (dangerous) wildlife, holding such wildlife, possession without documentation and importation without permits, TWRA spokesman Dan Hicks said at a news conference Thursday.
Additional snakes are still being identified, he said.
Along with the live snakes, the TWRA confiscated a freezer full of dead snakes and other animals they say belonged to Hurd.
Hurd, 38, could face a maximum jail time of 11 months and 29 days and a $2,500 fine on each count, Hicks said.
Hicks said Hurd has more charges pending, and that the agency also hasn't ruled out the option of seeking involuntary manslaughter charges in Westbrook's death.
Westbrook died from anaphylactic shock — a severe allergic reaction — after a copperhead bit him Saturday. Police first were told a friend brought the snake to Westbrook to check its gender, but on Thursday Hicks confirmed that the snake belonged to Westbrook.
Hicks would not confirm whether Westbrook obtained the snake from Hurd, but Hurd said the snake did not come from his supply and that he had not spoken with Westbrook for more than a year.
"I usually recommend copperheads for first-time venomous snake owners, but I never recommended that Wade keep them. He didn't have the disposition to keep venomous snakes. ... I knew he was an accident waiting to happen," Hurd said in an interview.
According to Hurd, Westbrook sought him out in 2007 to learn about handling venomous snakes.
Hurd said he was there when Westbrook first was bitten by a snake in Ringgold, Ga., two years ago, and that Westbrook suffered no major complications.
In recent Facebook posts, Hurd has asked for prayers for Westbrook's family and said he's shaken and miserable about what happened.
"I know in my head that I didn't kill Wade, but I feel different in my heart. ... I may not have pulled the trigger, but I handed him a loaded gun ... without me, he would not have had the snake," a recent post states.
Hurd, a graduate of the University of Tennessee-at Chattanooga, said in the interview that the Facebook posts referred to the fact that he initially introduced Westbrook to venomous snakes.
Hicks said Hurd's arrest is expected to be just the tip of a larger investigation into transportation of dangerous reptiles and possible illegal sales. He said the TWRA believes Hurd has made frequent trips to Chattanooga and worked with snake enthusiasts in the area.
Hurd, who works with reptiles at a zoo in Virginia, said he does not sell venomous snakes in Tennessee and only trains people to work with venomous snakes in Virginia, where regulations are less restrictive.
He said he was arrested while visiting friends this week after traveling to Atlanta for a reptile convention over the weekend.
Hurd said he knew it is illegal to keep venomous snakes in Tennessee, but not that it was illegal to transport them through the state.
Hurd was released on his own recognizance and is due in Hamilton County General Sessions Court on Monday.
His Web page is devoted to venomous snakes, detailing how to catch and care for them, complete with offers to sell everything from snakes to venom samples.
Chuck Hurd's Website
http://chuckhurd.bravepages.com
Breeding project updates
Services: Educational displays, lectures and entertainment; snake removal and relocation, birthday parties
Snakes and equipment
Venom samples: rattlesnakes, copperheads, cottonmouths
Photo galleries and personal information
Instructional videos: capture, care and feeding, first aid; religious use
Links to herpetological sites
http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2011/feb/04/charles-hurd-arrest-snakebite-death/

WTVF (Nashville Tennessee) 04 February 11 Man Charged In Snake Bite Death Investigation
Chattanooga, Tenn (AP): Wildlife officers investigating a snake bite death have arrested a Virginia man with 12 live poisonous snakes and a cooler loaded with dead snakes in the southeastern Tennessee community where the death occurred.
Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency spokesman Dan Hicks said 38-year-old Samuel Charles Hurd of Gate City, Va., was arrested Thursday and charged with 48 misdemeanor counts that include possessing dangerous wildlife.
Hicks said that unlike Virginia, possessing a poisonous snake in Tennessee is illegal. Hicks said the arrest is part of an ongoing investigation.
Hurd was released on a self-recognizance bond pending a Monday court hearing in Chattanooga. A jail officer said there is no record of a lawyer representing Hurd.
Wade Westbrook of East Bridge died Saturday from a severe allergic reaction after a copperhead bit him.
http://www.newschannel5.com/story/13969697/man-charged-in-snake-bite-death-investigation

WRCB (Chatanooga, Tennessee) 05 February 11 Handler charged, denies tie to snake or victim (Gordon Boyd)
Hamilton County, TN: The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency hasn't finished counting or logging the venomous snakes that Samuel Charles 'Chuck' Hurd had 'on ice' when agents arrested him Thursday.
It has a dozen live snakes in quarantine.
"The snake bite situation led us to this individual," TWRA spokesman Dan Hicks says.
The 'situation' is the death of Wade Westbrook of East Ridge, who, doctors say, suffered anaphylactic shock after a copperhead bit him Saturday night.
"There's absolutely no connection between me and Wade in the past year," Hurd says.
"There's no connection between me and the snake that bit Wade."
Hurd is a former truck driver and professional wrestler. He describes himself as a 'serpentologist' , who makes his living by exhibiting and selling poisonous snakes. Through his web site, chuckhurd.com also offers venom for sale.
"I've been bitten more times than I can count," Hurd says. By venomous snakes, specifically, I've been bitten fifteen times."
Hurd's Facebook page includes a photo of him in the hospital, after a five-feet-long, Eastern Diamondback rattlesnake bit his left hand last January.
He says he knew Westbrook well enough to know he would never give to, or sell a venomous snake to him.
"Wade was reckless, that's a good way to describe him," Hurd says.
"I don't think he ever intentionally wanted to get bit, but it gave him an adrenaline rush that came from holding a snake. Wade was an accident waiting to happen."
Hurd faces 48 criminal counts related to possessing, importing, housing and transporting wildlife.
"It is illegal to have any native species animal, held in captivity, in the state of Tennessee," says Hicks, of the TWRA.
Hurd concedes that he knew that. But he maintains that he merely was passing through, headed to his home in Virginia after an exhibition in Atlanta. He says he stopped in Chattanooga to pay respects at Westbrook's funeral.
"If I'd known I was violating a law, it would have been extremely stupid of me to come to Chattanooga during this time," Hurd says.
"I told them when they arrested me--I don't get it, I've been doing this for years."
"The first thing I say, is why," says Dave Collins, forest curator at the Tennessee Aquarium in downtown Chattanooga.
Venomous snakes fall under Collins' purview. The Aquarium's collection includes a copperhead, a 'canebrake' or timber rattlesnake, and a diamondback rattler.
Collins questions the wisdom of handling such reptiles 'freehand', as Hurd has done, and, apparently, Westbrook did.
"The animal could become excited," he says.
"A captive snake can be injured, so the better thing is 'let's not play cowboy. there's no special brownie points for being brave with a snake."
Collins says Tennessee laws ban the Aquarium from taking venomous reptiles outside their exhibit areas for 'show and tells.' They require special protocols when leaving the building.
The TWRA's Hicks describes its investigation as on-going, saying that it involves authorities in Georgia, Virginia, and with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.
But he declines to detail what role each agency may play, or what additional charges Hurd or others may face.
"We don't want to jeopardize anything we might have," Hicks says.
Hurd faces a $2500 fine and one day short of a year in jail for each of the 48 counts. He's due in Hamilton County Sessions Court Monday.
"I'll admit I'm a bit naive to the ways of the judicial system," he says.
"I'm 38 years old. First time I've been in trouble."
Handler charged, denies tie to snake or victim

Why not have a thorough autopsy and see if the man didn't have an underlying condition that contributed to his death and then go forward from there. Copperhead is the least dangerous of North American Pit Vipers. I was in fact bitten by one when I was 10 years old.
Would the same public lynching be done if the man had sold this person a gun and this person had accidentally shot and killed himself with it? I doubt it.
jsc
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"As hard as I've tried, just can't NOT do this"
John Crickmer

>>"I've been bitten more times than I can count," Hurd says. By venomous snakes, specifically, I've been bitten fifteen times."
Hurd's Facebook page includes a photo of him in the hospital, after a five-feet-long, Eastern Diamondback rattlesnake bit his left hand last January.
He says he knew Westbrook well enough to know he would never give to, or sell a venomous snake to him.
"Wade was reckless, that's a good way to describe him," Hurd says.

Seems to me this is a perfect example of "the pot calling the kettle black".

The man accused of selling dangerous snakes was in court Monday morning

Samuel Chuck Hurd appeared before a Hamilton County judge after he was arrested last week in connection with the death of an East Ridge man.

Wade Westbrook, 26, died of anaphylactic shock after he was bitten by a copperhead snake.

Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agents say Hurd provided the snake and arrested him for having a dozen venomous snakes without a permit.

Hurd's bond was set at $10,000 today.

He is scheduled to be back in court next month.
www.newschannel9.com/news/hurd-998367-snake-court.html