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CHATTANOOGA TIMES FREE PRESS (Tennessee) 31 January 11 Snakebite death puzzles experts (Kate Harrison)
Reptile experts and wildlife officials were stunned by the news that an East Ridge man died Saturday after being bitten by a copperhead snake.
Wade Westbrook, 26, was bitten on his upper right arm while handling a copperhead his friend brought over, according to East Ridge Police.
"It's extremely unusual for someone to die from a copperhead bite. It is especially unusual for someone to die as quickly as he did. And it is very rare for someone in a metropolitan area to succumb to a bite. Usually they are able to get help in time," said Dan Hicks, spokesman for the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, which is conducting a follow-up investigation along with East Ridge Police. "The people at his home said he was blue in the face after 10 minutes."
Emergency medical personnel arrived at the house at 1058 Blanton Drive around 8 p.m. They attempted CPR on Westbrook, then took him to Erlanger hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The snake also was taken to the hospital so physicians would know how to treat Westbrook. Physicians confirmed that the snake was a copperhead, East Ridge police said Sunday night.
The man who literally wrote the book on Southeastern snakes said copperhead fatalities are "rare to nonexistent."
"If he was 26 and healthy, it is highly unlikely that one bite could kill him," said Dr. Whit Gibbons, emeritus ecology professor at the University of Georgia and co-author of "Snakes of the Southeast."
"I'm not saying it couldn't happen, but it would be a first," Gibbons said.
Because of this, Hicks said his agency is not verifying that Westbrook actually died from a snakebite until an autopsy is completed. He said it is possible that some other factor was involved, such as some pre-existing condition.
Westbrook had several exotic snakes and native turtles in his home, Hicks said.
"According to his wife, it seems he was a wildlife enthusiast who had taken it to the next level," said Hicks.
East Ridge Police spokesman Erik Hopkins said Westbrook's friend brought the copperhead over so Westbrook could determine the snake's sex.
Westbrook's Facebook page says he is interested in books that relate to "anything reptile."
Tennessee Aquarium herpetologist Courtney Lewis said Sunday that copperheads usually are hibernating in winter.
"Usually if you leave them alone, they leave you alone. Copperheads typically only bite humans if they feel threatened," she explained.
Hicks said in Tennessee it is illegal to take any native species out of its habitat.
East Ridge Animal Control took the other reptiles from the home. The copperhead has been handed over to the TWRA.
Hicks said the copperhead probably will be given to a wildlife refuge.
Westbrook was the father of one. His widow could not be reached for comment Sunday afternoon.
"She's doing the best she can, considering the situation," Hicks said. "I think she was ready to get rid of the menagerie."
Snakebite death puzzles experts

There's a whole lot more to this story than what's printed in this article. The Copperhead shown on the news last night didn't come from anywhere close to Chattanooga. Much more southern locale than those around this part of the country. This story simply doesn't make any sense at all right now.

WTVC (Chattanooga, Tennessee) 31 January 11 Man Dead From Snake Bite Had Allergic Reaction (Jessica Oh)
Newschannel 9 has confirmed that 26-year-old Wade Westbrook died after having an allergic reaction from the copperhead snake venom. East Ridge police spokesperson Erik Hopkins said that doctors confirmed that Westbrook suffered an allergic reaction to the bite.
Authorities and experts were puzzled by the death because copperhead venom is only mildly venomous. News of the allergic reaction is helping authorities better understand what happened.
According to police, Westbrook's friend Chris, brought a copperhead he found outdoors to Westbrook's house on Saturday night asking Westbrook to check the gender of the snake. The copperhead bit Wesbrook once in the upper arm and that bite eventually lead to his death.
Man Dead From Snake Bite Had Allergic Reaction

That makes a lot more sense. Knew it had to be something more than just a copperhead bite. Tough luck for this guy.

"According to police, Westbrook's friend Chris, brought a copperhead he found outdoors to Westbrook's house on Saturday night asking Westbrook to check the gender of the snake."

What? I seriously doubt it was warm enough for snake activity in Tennessee.
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Tim Cole
www.austinherpsociety.org
www.AustinReptileExpo.com/
www.AustinReptileService.net
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<
Conservation through Education

It didn't say the snake was found in Tenn. It said he found the snake outdoors, that could be anywhere south of Tenn.

Latest news report says the snake was owned by the bitten individual. Report of it being brought to him was fabricated; snake was in his possession illegally. Report also mentioned this wasn't his first bite from (copperheads)? You're correct. Much too cold locally for snakes to be active. Overall, I'd say the local coverage of this story was excellent.

Last Saturday it was in the 60s here, and we have seen reptile activity during these odd days, even if it is January. We've seen box turtles, snapping turtles, and the odd kingsnake in December and January. Don't know what the temps were in Tennessee, but if they were that warm, the snake could have been near the entrance to its den, and basking. That being said, I assume the guy died from anaphylactic shock. Probably never knew he was allergic. I think more people find out because they're stung by bees, or whatever, and some sensitivity shows up. Too bad and too late for this guy and his family.

I have collected numerous snakes in cold weather,includeing Cottonmouths ,and Timbers on a day with about 3 inches of snow on the ground.

WRCB (Chattanooga, Tennessee) 31 January 11 Official cause of death determined in snake bite case (Megan Boatwright)
East Ridge, TN.: Eyewitness News is learning more about an East Ridge man, who died after he was bitten by a copperhead.
Officials tell us the snake bit 26-year-old Wade Westbrook just above the elbow.
Within minutes, he was unconscious.
His mother tells Channel 3 this is not the first time he's been bitten by that same type of snake.
Officials say Westbrook died of anaphylactic shock.
Reports indicate 36 minutes passed from the time 911 was called to Westbrook's arrival at Erlanger.
According to police reports, he was unconscious for 10 minutes before 911 was even called.
Wade Westbrook was a husband and father. He spent Saturday with his 3-year-old son before a friend brought a small copperhead snake to his home on Blanton Drive.
"More snake bites happen from people trying to handle snakes whether it's out in the woods, or just found one in the home or whatever," says Dr. Chris Moore.
That is exactly what Westbrook was doing when he the snake struck. Dr. Chris Moore is the Director of Wilderness Medicine for the University of Tennessee and says death from snake bites, especially copperheads, are rare.
"In most cases copperhead bites are treated with observation and support without ever having to give anti-venom," says Dr. Moore.
Westbrook was pronounced dead upon arrival at Erlanger.
According to East Ridge police reports, Westbrook tried to extract the venom with a tool after he was bitten, then he began coughing and vomiting before he collapsed.
"The death certificate lists that he died due to anaphylactic shock as a result of the snake bite," says Eric Hopkins, spokesperson for the East Ridge Police Department.
Westbrook's family declined to talk on camera, but his mother tells Channel 3 he's been fascinated with snakes since he was a boy.
He'd been bitten by a copperhead snake before, which is probably why police reports show 911 wasn't called for 10 minutes after he collapsed.
Moore says you never know when someone will go into shock.
"Patients can get hypersensitized to snakes, not only from previous bites, but studies have shown that people that handle snakes can develop hypersensitivity to them," says Dr. Moore.
Anaphylaxis is a severe form of allergic reaction.
Dr. Moore says it's an immediate life-threatening situation.
Police aren't releasing the name of the friend who brought the snake over that night and don't believe the copperhead was a pet.
The case is still under investigation, but police don't expect to file charges.
Official cause of death determined in snake bite case

http://www.newschannel9.com/news/westbrook-998271-copperhead-snake.html

UPDATE: Arrest Made in Connection to Snakebite Death
February 03, 2011 12:38 PM

The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) has made an arrest in connection with the death of Wade Westbrook after he was bitten by a copperhead snake Jan. 29. Westbrook died from anaphylactic shock following the bite, the same thing which can kill individuals stung by a honeybee.

TWRA wildlife officers have arrested Chuck Hurd for a total of 48 wildlife violations. At a 3 pm news conference in they said he had 12 native poisonous snakes in his possession. He is charged with fours counts per snake. They believe Hurd has been illegally selling snakes since 2005. They say more charges are possible against Hurd, and others could be charged in the case as well. Hurd is scheduled for his first court appearance in Hamilton County General Sessions Court Monday, Feb. 7 at 1:30.

According to his website, Hurd is a snake expert and consultant. It is believed that he provided the snake which killed Westbrook.

There were conflicting stories of why the copperhead was at Westbrook's house in the first place.

Police said were told by Westbrook's wife, Stephanie that Westbrook's friend who only identified himself to police as "Chris," found a copperhead outdoors and brought it into Westbrook's home on Saturday night, asking Westbrook to determine the gender of the snake. It's an explanation that puzzled authorities and experts because copperheads are not known to be outdoors in this time of year. However, "Chris" told Newschannel 9 that explanation was false.

He declined to go on camera because of the ongoing investigation but said the copperhead belonged to Westbrook and that Mrs. Westbrook made up the story because she thought her husband would get in trouble.

Copperheads are illegal to possess in the state of Tennessee.

I do sympathise with Wade's family; just terribly bad luck for this death to have happened. I'm not so sure the snake pictured on the news was stock pics either. I believe it was the offending snake, and it obviously didn't come from this area. Looks to me like "someone" was selling this person venomous snakes illegally. The TWRA never made any attempt to listen to reason when Tennessee's first snake/reptile control laws were enacted. Stories like this make it even more certain they never will. Anyone possessing snakes in Tennessee and not complying with present laws should be worried. Anyone who sold or helped this particular individual acquire illegal venomous snakes should be terrified, and they deserve to be. We all lose in this case, Wade moreso than anyone, but everyone loses. Hope the person who sold Wade this animal enjoyed that twenty bucks.

Um, isn't it standard operating procedure to have some sort of epi-pen or similar device on hand if you have venemous snakes in your collection?????

Commmon sense says yes. I'd bet my last nickle that most private venomous snake owners don't have so much as a Poison Control Center phone number close at hand, let alone some current antivenom in stock. Wasn't too many years past that, within a few months, different people in Northern Alabama allowed a Gaboon Viper and some type Cobra to escape. Cobra was being retained inside a cardboard box. And how can anyone allow a slow moving (crawling, not striking) fat bodied, Gaboon Viper escape. Heck, you could almost tether these beasts and keep them retained. Reckon these folks had antivenom on hand. I'm betting......not. Wade's death was just an amazingly rare, unfortunate event. I suppose its happened before but, I've personally never heard of someone dying from anaphylatic shock from a snakebite. I wish he had had the foresight to have something like epipens on hand. Pandora's box is overturned now though.....hard to get those demons back inside. Tennessee herpers breaking state laws better be doing some serious soul searching.

Not to speak ill of the dead, but I had talked to this guy Wade on some of the different forums and he had the ignorance to ask me why I keep my own AV for my mamba and cobra collection. Saying things like,"Why would you think you need to have 12 amps of SAIMR Polyvalent on hand for a Black Mamba bite"? He said, and I quote,"that guy got bit on 9/11 by a PNG Taipan and it didn't kill him". Now I'm not claiming to be the "perfect" keeper or anything like that, but...these statements from a guy that a copperhead ended up taking him out? Wow.

Well Cobrafan, just from your small post, I'd bet you're perfectly legal with your collection. Complying with state laws, responsible enough to be prepared for emergencies, and well qualified to keep such animals. I'd also bet you've kept these snakes long term without being bitten. And I'll stick my neck out even farther and say your snakes are most likely well cared for, healthy specimans. Just goes to show why laws shouldn't become so restrictive to prevent all private venomous snake collections. Wade didn't fit any of these criteria. He broke state laws by illegally possessing his copperhead, was bitten twice within a two year period, and was not prepared to cope with emergencies. He obtained this (these) snake(s)from someone; the snake that killed him wasn't a local copperhead. These type folks' activities (Wade and his supplier)always seem to end up doing things that lead to more and more restrictive laws being passed by various states. Folks like yourself rarely ever make the news, at least not in a negative way, but tend to be entirely ignored by state officials and lawmakers when the other jerks do. Even with copperheads, Wade was in way over his head. He didn't just die from "anyphalatic shock", he died because he had an illegal venomous snake, supplied to him by someone's illegal activity, and got bitten. It'll do no one any good to just "shut up" about it. I hope the individual who supplied Wade this snake pays dearly; Wade already has. I don't have any desire to dismiss this type activity simply because herpers are involved. I don't have any problem with qualified, responsible folks maintaining any type animal they choose to. Getting state officials to agree is the rub. Incidents like these make it almost certain they won't even try.

You would be correct in most of those assumptions. I live in SC, which will be probably the last state(all states eventually will though),to ban the keeping of venomous reptiles.I have a small collection, but I take pride in what I keep and work hard to keep them in great condition. I have always had emergency bite protocols in place, but yes I have been nailed before by a Naja naja. It can happen to anyone, but since that I keep all my own AV and if I can't get AV for a species, I don't keep it. One thing about my bite,and I guess Wade or the guy in NJ weren't concious enough to say. Unless things have changed, when you get to the hospital,particularly an exotic, the news/media do have to ask your permission if it's OK to publish/cover your story,AND TO EVERYBODY HERE: ALWAYS SAY NO!