Man Hospitalized For Bites Of Pet Cobra

Fri., Sept. 26, 1997

From Staff And Wire Reports

A 39-year-old Everett man was hospitalized after his pet king cobra bit him twice.

Mark Hess was playing with the 3-foot-long, venomous snake at his Everett apartment Wednesday when he felt the animal bump against him - but he didn’t know he’d been bitten, Everett Police spokesman Elliot Woodall said.

Hess locked the cobra back in its serpentarium, Woodall said. Three hours later, he called a friend to say he was feeling weak, slurring his speech and having difficulty breathing. The friend called 911.

Hess was airlifted to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle and treated with anti-venom medication for bites to his right hand and left calf.

Animal-control officers planned to confiscate the cobra because it is illegal to own a venomous snake, Woodall said.

Local journalism is essential.

Give directly to The Spokesman-Review's Northwest Passages community forums series -- which helps to offset the costs of several reporter and editor positions at the newspaper -- by using the easy options below. Gifts processed in this system are tax deductible.

Meet Our Journalists

Jesse Tinsley

Meet Jesse Tinsley. As a certified drone pilot, this veteran Spokesman-Review photographer often can be seen capturing beautiful aerial photographs of our region. Sometimes though, the job requires getting down with the dogs.
Jim Meehan

Jim Meehan is no stranger to Zag Nation. As the lead writer covering the Gonzaga men’s basketball team, he tells the stories behind the game and gets fans a bit closer to their favorite players.
Molly Quinn

There is no artist in Spokane like Molly Quinn. Her whimsical style is instantly recognizable to readers of The Spokesman-Review. She has painted gorgeous illustrations that instantly elevate the journalism accompanying it. She brings to life the stories that defy photography. She makes our pages better.
Rob Curley

Spokesman-Review editor Rob Curley loves to talk with people and learn about their lives, whether it's a best-selling author or a stranger he meets downtown on his walk to lunch. It's that inquisitive nature combined with a playful sense of storytelling that helps make our newspaper different than most.