Flesh-Eating Bacteria Reportedly Kills Chesco Man, Former Philly Cop

OXFORD, PA — Flesh-eating bacteria has reportedly killed a retired Philadelphia police officer and the president of the Oxford Area Chamber of Commerce.

James Rodio, 75, was fishing on his boat in the Chesapeake Bay when he cut his hand on a crab trap, Philly.com reports.

He laughed it off and washed it away with some salt water, according to NBC10.

But within three days, the Vibrio vulnificus microorganism, which had been in the bay water, had led to his death.

Rodio was set to take over as mayor of Oxford in 2017.

Flesh-eating bacteria lurks in warm water and kills about 20 people each year in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control. The agency describes it as a "serious bacterial skin infection that spreads quickly and kills the body's soft tissue."

Officials say that avoiding the rare disease means not going in water of any kind with an open cut, washing your hands often, and being especially careful if your immune system is suppressed.

His funeral is set for Wednesday, July 20 at 10 a.m. at Stella Maris Church in Oxford.