Snake Owner Queasy After Pet’s Squeezing
A man was in fair condition in a hospital Sunday after his pet python wrapped its 15-foot body around him and started squeezing, cutting off his oxygen and blood flow.
Tom Ortiz of Kansas City lost consciousness Saturday after Tina, his 50-pound-plus snake, started to constrict him, officials said. An ambulance worker said Ortiz had been in critical condition when the ambulance arrived. A hospital spokesman said he had not suffered internal injuries.
Animal control officials had custody of the snake but had not decided its fate.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
