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A Dothan man has died from apparent snake bites.

Henry County coroner Derek Wright says 65-year-old Larry D. Lewis died Friday. Wright said he thought at first that Lewis died from heat stroke but then found two puncture wounds on Lewis’ body. Wright says Lewis was bitten on the right side of the neck and the right hand.

Wright says Lewis’ son found his father collapsed next to a tractor in a field on the family farm in Henry County. Wright estimates Lewis was bitten around 12 p.m. Friday, according to a story in The Dothan Eagle.

Wright says rescue workers didn’t find the snake, but he believes it was likely a rattlesnake.

Wright says the fact that Lewis was bitten in the neck is probably what made the attack fatal.

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A Winder man died Saturday morning after a rattlesnake bit him while he was hunting in Oglethorpe County with his grandson.

Dick Rupert, 68, got bitten in the calf at about 7:30 a.m. by a small rattlesnake in the woods off Thaxton Wynne Road south of U.S. Highway 78, Oglethorpe County Coroner James Mathews said.

Rupert died at Wills Memorial Hospital in Washington about an hour later, Mathews said.

The rattlesnake bit Rupert in the calf as he climbed down from a tree stand, he said.

Rupert tried to get back to the road on a four-wheeler driven by his 12-year-old grandson, but he passed out and fell off twice, Mathews said. He was unresponsive when Oglethorpe EMS workers arrived at 7:44 a.m.

“The grandson was doing CPR when our crew got there,” Mathews said. “But Mr. Rupert was already in full cardiac arrest.”

The puncture marks on Rupert’s calf could barely be seen, Mathews said.

Thaxton Wynne Road runs between U.S. 78 and Georgia Highway 22 about seven miles southeast of Lexington, not far from the Wilkes County border.

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Man Says Pit Bulls Attacked Him Twice In City Park

Posted: 4:26 pm EDT May 18, 2009Updated: 5:54 pm EDT May 18, 2009

ATLANTA – Animal control officials in Atlanta spent Monday trying to locate two very large pit bulls that a southwest Atlanta man said attacked him twice in a city park. The man said after he complained about the first attack, the owner let the dogs bite him again. 

After the man was attacked in the park, he walked two blocks and found some men to help him get an ambulance. While he was being helped, he said he saw the dogs and their owner getting away as police were arriving. 

Herbert Martin was working on his car on Ira Street when the victim walked up and asked someone to call 911. He was bleeding. 

“(He was bleeding) very badly, both arms. (It) seemed like he had a bit to the face. (It) tore his pants,” said Martin. 

As Martin called 911, the man told him he’d been in Pittman Park two blocks away when two pit bulls being walked by a woman attacked him. 

JEFF DORE: Man Says Dogs Attacked Him Twice At Park 

“And they attacked him. And she got the dogs off of him but then when he complained, he said, ‘You know you shouldn’t let those dogs do that to people,’ and she just let them go again on him. Like on purpose, is what he said,” said Martin. 

The victim described the dogs’ owner and her car to Martin and neighbor R.W. Smith. 

“He pointed to her,” said Smith. 

The victim pointed to a woman who lived on that block and who keeps two very large pit bulls chained on the porch of a vacant house across the street, according to Martin and Smith. 

Martin said when he sees the dogs, he “walks on the other side of the street.” 

Animal control cruised the neighborhood and left a message for the owner, but by then she had put the dogs in her car and left. 

Witnesses described the car as a 1998 or 1999 gold Grand Am with a temporary tag. 

The victim was taken to Grady Memorial Hospital to be treated. There is no word on his condition.

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STORMS: Tornadoes sighted, power knocked out

A line of storms that spawned at least four tornadoes in northwest Georgia on Sunday left roughly 10,000 Georgia Power customers in the dark.

The outages were concentrated in Tucker and Decatur, said Georgia Power spokesman Mark Williams. “We have customers without service all through the metro area.”

Tornadoes were sighted in Bartow, Polk, Floyd and Cobb counties between 5:30 and 7 p.m., but there were no apparent touchdowns and no reports of any significant damage.

In Atlanta, two large trees were reported down off Clifton Road near the Fernbank Science Center. No injuries were reported.

Today’s forecast calls for a 60 percent chance of thunderstorms. After a respite on Tuesday, thunderstorms are likely on Wednesday. As of 6 p.m. Sunday, Atlanta had received 19.45 inches for the year, a half-inch above normal.

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I would be pretty terrified to see an 8 foot long rattlesnake. I can’t really even fathom what that would look like. Think of the striking range that snake would have!

A diamondback in the rough

At last, a naturalist finds his Holy Grail: A rare rattler in remote Florida park

The eastern diamondback rattler struggles to stay alive as a species, no thanks to humans.John Serrao

April 26, 2009 6:00 AM

I don’t know what it was that suddenly brought my eyes to ground level after an hour of scanning the branches of the pines and oaks for birds along a remote trail in Florida’s vast Appalachicola National Forest. Was it the sunlight reflected off the glossy, yellowish skin? Or the wide, heavy shape stretched straight out among the thin, curving fallen branches that littered the ground? Or — most likely — the regular pattern of big, dark diamonds that extended four feet in a straight line just a few feet from my and my wife, Felicia’s, feet.

Even though I’d never seen one before, I immediately knew what the animal was, and after a glance of just a fraction of a second, I repeated three or four times in an excited but hushed voice to Felicia: “Diamondback rattlesnake!”

The eastern diamondback rattlesnake has been my “Holy Grail” — the number one item on my “bucket list” — for more than 30 years. Quite simply, it’s the biggest, most dangerous snake in the United States. A handful of snakes, including the indigo snake and our own black rat snake, may slightly exceed the diamondback’s maximum recorded length of eight feet, but none can match its sheer bulk and weight, nor the immense size of its head. I’ve seen timber rattlesnakes in the Poconos that measure 4½ feet long and 8 inches in circumference, and I can’t possible imagine an eastern diamondback rattlesnake almost twice that size.

What an impressive creature to encounter in the pine forests of Florida, Georgia or the Carolinas! But, despite countless visits to the wilderness areas of these southern states over the past three decades, including places highly recommended by other naturalists, foresters and park rangers, I’ve never seen one — until March 24, 2009, a date I’ll never forget.

After my initial shock at the sight of such a big snake just a few feet off the trail, I quickly assessed the situation. It appeared very calm and remained completely motionless, stretched out lengthwise in the sunlight. Its beautiful, yellowish-tan skin was shiny and almost iridescent, indicating that it had very recently shed it skin.

The conditions for photographing it could not have been better, and, since no people were in the forest except for Felicia and me, I could take my time and just enjoy this amazing, once-in-a-lifetime (I hope not) experience. I photographed it from every angle for at least 15 minutes, and it remained motionless.

Then, before we moved on, in order to prevent it from being detected by anyone who might harm it, I gently tapped it with a branch. This caused the rattlesnake to slowly withdraw beneath the cover of a shrub, where it coiled up to face me and began to rattle, warning me not to come any closer. It seemed both fearless and non-aggressive at the same time — an animal completely secure with its own status at the top of the food chain, with no natural enemies except humans.

Unfortunately, humans have taken a terrible toll over the years on populations of eastern diamondback rattlesnakes, just as they have with timber rattlesnakes in the northeastern states and various species of western rattlesnakes. Unbelievably, unlike our own timber rattler, the eastern diamondback enjoys no laws to protect it — no restrictions against killing, collecting, habitat destruction or the insanity of “rattlesnake roundups,” a community snake-hunting tradition started long ago by ranchers who thought rattlesnake populations were too high.

Dr. Bruce Means, the expert on this species, conducts research in the Florida Panhandle and has written extensively on its biology and population declines. I read his excellent book, “Stalking the Plumed Serpent” (Pineapple Press, Sarasota, 2008), this past winter and became even more obsessed with finally seeing an eastern diamondback in the wild after vicariously experiencing his adventures with this magnificent reptile (the first chapter, which relates a nearly fatal bite and his struggle to crawl back to civilization, is sure to raise the hairs on the back of anyone’s neck). However, Dr. Means, in a letter written to me in February, sadly informed me that the eastern diamondback rattlesnake now survives in good numbers only on a few isolated, remote barrier islands and within vast, protected wildernesses like the 500,000-acre Appalachicola National Forest.

During our 10 days in Florida, we saw 125 species of birds and almost 40 reptiles and amphibians. We saw the dusky pygmy rattlesnake; the beautiful and rare Gulf Hammock rat snake; the unusual, legless eastern glass lizard; and hundreds of butterflies of a dozen species flitting from flower to flower along the long, sandy trails. Alligators were common, including a mother with seven babies. And a big water moccasin coiled up, opened its mouth widely, and displayed its sharp, venomous fangs and famous “cottonmouth” while I photographed it.

I’m sure that all of these sightings will remain in my memory over the years, but none will be more treasured, vivid and indelible than my first experience with America’s most impressive snake, the eastern diamondback.

Let’s hope that, before it’s too late, laws will be passed to protect this relatively inoffensive reptile so that it can continue to give nature lovers unforgettable experiences in the southern pine forests of which it is such a magnificent part of the natural heritage.

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Macon Water Authority Investigating Sinkhole

MACON, GA –The Macon Water Authority plans to use video equipment to investigate a large sinkhole in Central City Park.

Assistant Executive Director Ray Shell says they don’t know for sure what caused the 10-foot deep hole.

It appeared about 2 weeks ago near the Ocmulgee River levee and at the end of the Ocmulgee Heritage walking trail.

Shell says a large sewer line and the river may have helped cause the hole.

He says the authority found raw sewage in the hole.

“It all depends on what we find as the cause as to how long it will take to affect a repair. It could be anywhere from one week to several weeks, depending on the extent of the cause of this sinkhole,” Shell said.

Shell says the city of Macon found the hole first, and then contacted the Water Authority.

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Tornado Confirmed For Damage In Cherokee County

 

The severe storms of Sunday night for parts of the state did result in at least one confirmed tornado. The National Weather Service says a twister did touch down for a few seconds in a Cherokee County neighborhood. That’s all it took for more than 100 homes to sustain some level of damage, and 12 to be completely destroyed. Officials say the tornado was a half-mile wide and left a destructive path over a mile long. Reported twisters in north Georgia’s Cobb County, and west Georgia’s Muscogee County have not been confirmed.

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UPDATE: Sinkhole shuts down northbound traffic on Doug Barnard Parkway; Repairs on hold due to economy

By Rich Rogers rrogers@nbcaugusta.com

Story Published: Apr 21, 2009 at 8:57 AM EDT

Story Updated: Apr 21, 2009 at 10:42 AM EDT 

AUGUSTA, Ga. – A sinkhole has caused a major Augusta road to be closed indefinitely.

The sinkhole occurred on the northbound side of Doug Barnard Parkway, also known as State Highway 56 Spur, north of its intersection with Bobby Jones Expressway.

The sinkhole was caused by a broken sewer line that was installed in the early 1960s.

The Georgia Department of Transportation says northbound traffic on Doug Barnard will be detoured via Bobby Jones Expressway, Mike Padgett Highway, and Gordon Highway.

The sinking economy also plays a role in the repair of the sinkhole. Construction workers say it could be as late as next Thursday before repairs are completed because they have been forced to take furloughs.

Drivers are advised to avoid this area if possible.

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Florida wins, hands down.

# 1	Florida:	337
# 2	Texas:	15
= 3	Georgia:	9
= 3	South Carolina:	9
# 5	Alabama:	5
# 6	Louisiana:	2
= 7	Arkansas:	1
= 7	North Carolina:	1

DEFINITION: Number of documented alligator attacks since 1948. There have been 17 fatal attacks in Florida and one fatal attack in Georgia. Additional deaths which were previously reported have been ruled out because the wounds appeared to be post-mortem. The most common cases were lacerations or scratches on the hands, whereas the most common activity attributed to the attack was an attempt to capture, pick up or exhibit the alligator. Other common activities that led to an alligator attack were swimming, fishing activities and retrieving golf balls.

SOURCE: Alligator Attacks on Humans in the United States, Ricky L. Langley, MD, MPH. Wilderness and Environmental Medicine, 16, 119 124 (2005). Additional figures taken from news reports.

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Tornadoes spotted in Fla. as storm line roars over

By CHRISTINE ARMARIO – 6 hours ago

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — A strong line of storms spawned at least two tornadoes Tuesday as it tore across central Florida, scattering roof shingles, uprooting trees and forcing schools to evacuate children from trailer classrooms.

No injuries were immediately reported and the storms eventually moved offshore. It was the latest round of bad weather to hammer the South after heavy rain and strong winds Monday that hit Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia, Kentucky and northern Florida, already reeling from storms and tornados last week.

The National Weather Service was still tallying damage information, but initial reports were that two tornadoes had touched down north of Tampa and two others may have struck in central and east Florida.

Twenty Florida counties were under a tornado watch for much of the day.

“To our knowledge, there’s been no true structure damage and no injuries,” said Jim Martin, Emergency Management Director for Pasco County north of Tampa, where at least one twister was spotted Tuesday morning,

Martin said about 25 homes suffered damage from high winds and one car was flipped over. Students were evacuated from trailer classrooms at some Tampa-area schools.

Emergency management officials in Marion County in north-central Florida received reports of possible tornado sightings, downed power lines and other damage, including one home under a fallen tree. No injuries were reported, a sheriff’s spokeswoman said.

Randi Cecil, 24, was on her porch in the town of Sparr, about 90 miles north of Orlando, when the wind turned gusty and trees started swaying. Then a tree cracked so loud that it sounded like a car crash and smashed into her neighbor’s bedroom.

“It was the most horrible feeling I ever went through,” Cecil said.

Progress Energy spokeswoman Suzanne Grant said 35,000 customers were without power as of noon, mostly in the Ocala area in central Florida and in southern Pasco County, just north of Tampa. The Tampa Electric Company said about 770 customers had lost power.

The storms also passed through the Orlando area, knocking down trees and blowing shingles off roofs, but no significant damage was immediately reported. Orlando International Airport reported delays of up to one hour.

A day after high winds were blamed for toppling trees that killed one person each in Tennessee and Georgia, more blustery conditions were reported across the region.

Atlanta-area crews were still clearing up fallen trees and working to restore power and traffic lights after squalls Monday pushed through Georgia. Thousands of utility customers in Georgia and Alabama were waiting for power to come back on.

Associated Press writers Mike Schneider in Orlando, Mitch Stacy in Tampa and Amanda Thomas in Montgomery, Ala., contributed to this report.