Rattlesnake Drops From Tree, Bites Fire Official
A forestry fire captain was bitten by an 18-inch rattlesnake that dropped from a tree near a school west of Yosemite National Park.
Jim Huntsman was flown to Memorial Hospital in Modesto and was listed in stable condition Saturday, a nursing supervisor said.
Huntsman leaned his hand against a tree for balance while supervising a California Youth Authority work crew near El Portal School on Friday, said Kevin Smith, also a state Department of Forestry captain.
The rattlesnake dropped out of the tree and bit Huntsman, but he was able to radio for help, Smith added.
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.
