A 71-year-old West Columbia man died Sunday afternoon at the Cuddo Unit of the Santee National Wildlife Refuge, likely from a combination of a snakebite and existing medical problems.
Clarendon County Deputy Coroner Bucky Mock said he cannot disclose Wayne Grooms’ existing medical issues, but said that the man was visiting the Cuddo Unit with family on Sunday when he was bitten by a timber rattlesnake in the area.
“He was down by the lake at the Cuddo Unit and was bitten by the rattlesnake,” Mock said. “On the walk back to the car, he collapsed and died there at the scene. We were called about 3:40 p.m. Sunday.”
According to the state Department of Natural Resources, deaths from snake bites are rare. The Palmetto Poison Center at the University of South Carolina College of Pharmacy reports that it receives more than 100 phone calls each year concerning snakebites, with calls more frequent in the summer months.
Riverbanks Zoo herpetologist Scott Pfaff said that 38 snakes call South Carolina home, but only six are venomous.
“Snakes are really afraid of people in general, so they will try to hide,” he said. “They have wonderful camouflage, and can be hiding close by to where you never see them. They only get aggressive when threatened. Sometimes their ability to hide can lead to them being stepped on, and they get aggressive.”
Mock said he did not have enough information Sunday night to say what made the snake bite Grooms.
“Fatal snake bites are rare, as far as I know from my own medical knowledge,” Mock said. “I know they can cause swelling and complications, and typically if you die, it’s more slowly than it was for this unfortunate man.”
Mock said Grooms’ body will be taken Monday to the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston for an autopsy.
“The bite is a likely contributor to the death, due to some existing health problems,” Mock said. “We won’t know exactly what happened until the autopsy comes back, but I believe the bite did contribute.”
Poison Control Center Director Dr. Jill Michels said residents need to be careful when out in nature or working in their yards.
“Snakes blend in very well to their environments,” she said. “Many people are often bitten while gardening or doing other outside activities.”
Michels said residents bitten by a snake should seek immediate medical attention and follow these tips.
* Wash the bite with soap and water.
* Remain calm.
* Do not apply ice or a tourniquet.
* Do not try to suck the venom from the bite.
For more information, call the Poison Control Center at 1 (800) 222-1222.
