Fifteen poisonous snakes and as many as 30 tarantulas were recently found in a New Jersey home, apparently owned by a man who was bitten by one. He also passed out while driving himself to the hospital, officials say.
Allan E. Carlson, 54, of Vineland pleaded guilty to charges of possession of a dangerous species and was fined $5,000, according to the New Jersey Conservation Officers Association.
Harrowing details were revealed in the case:
The investigation started in September when officials received a complaint from Vineland officials. Authorities also learned that the Cumberland County man had been bitten by a cobra.
Authorities responded to Carlson’s residence. At the time, the man was still in intensive care but the homeowner and individual’s mother welcomed authorities into the house, according to release from the conversaton officers.
The homeowner explained that, on the previous day, Carlson came running in and told her that the man had been bitten by an African Black Forest Cobra, according to the release.
His mother explained that, because she no longer drives, Carlson drove part of the trip to the hospital but she had to finish the driving when he could no longer see.
She also said that, once they reached the hospital, her son had passed out in the parking lot and medical staff had to bring him inside.
Authorities said the woman was concerned that the snake that bit her son may be loose in her house. She told officials that he did have some snakes that he fed rats to but didn’t think that any were poisonous and invited him upstairs to look around, according to authorities.
An investigator arrived a short time later and also witnessed the “alarming sights” that authorities had described, according to the release.
There were dozens of plastic containers throughout the home that were said to contain bugs that were fed to her son’s “creatures.” Upstairs in a small office were approximately 30 plastic containers, most of which were occupied by tarantulas, according to the release.
Through the open door to the man’s bedroom, stacks of large plastic containers could be seen some with weights on top. Also observed were multiple snake hooks and dozens of large snake skins draped over the door.
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Authorities asked the mother about the room with the shut door that had bricks and weights in front of it. The woman told them that was where he feeds his snakes.
When authorities later interviewed the man at the hospital, he was completely uncooperative and refused to give up the location where he was bit.
Based on the information and observations gathered at the home, authorities were granted a search warrant for the residence. Officers and a reptile expert from the Cape May County Zoo later executed the a search warrant on the property.
Vineland police, EMS and paramedics were also on scene. During the search, two large Reticulated Pythons, one estimated over 10-foot long, were loose in a room and had to be captured.
Loose in the same room was an African Forest Cobra, believed to be the one that bit its owner, that was eventually captured, according to the release.
A total of 16 snakes were removed from the residence; 15 of which were venomous.
The venomous snakes included 14 cobras of various species including several spitting cobras. In addition to the cobras, there was a green mamba.
The snakes were transported to the Cape May County Zoo and secured until the following day when they were removed by another reptile handler.
After a period of quarantine the snakes were moved to a research facility in Kentucky.
The man was charged with 16 counts of possessing a non-game species without a permit and 15 counts of possessing a potentially dangerous species.