Rattlesnake Bite Victim Rushed To Hospital After Hemet Attack

HEMET, CA — A man was hospitalized Wednesday morning after being bitten by a snake in an area east of Hemet. The unidentified victim was engaged in agricultural work when he was struck by the rattler shortly after 6 a.m. in the 26100 block of Marshall Avenue, near Bentley Street, according to the Riverside County Fire Department.

"The patient, an adult male was working in a citrus grove when he was bitten by what appears to be a rattlesnake," said Fire Spokeswoman Jody Hagemann.

Paramedics reached the location a few minutes later and transported the patient to a Hemet-area trauma center in stable condition, according to the fire department. His injuries were described as "moderate."

According to the U.S. Forest Service, rattlers should be avoided, but if encountered, they should be given a wide buffer zone.

"If you see a snake, back away to at least six feet from the snake (because) they can strike a distance equal to their body length," according to a USFS statement. "If you can't walk around the snake to continue on your way, stamp your feet until it moves away. Keep dogs and horses under control. Rattlesnakes do not always rattle as a warning prior to striking, so don't assume that if you didn't hear a rattle, that it wasn't a rattlesnake."

— Image via Shutterstock / City News Service contributed to this report