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17 Exotic Snakes Found in Fairfax Hotel Room
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by tigers9 on July 11, 2008
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http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/11/AR2008071102414.html
17 Exotic Snakes Found in Fairfax Hotel Room
By Tom Jackman
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, July 11, 2008; 5:26 PM
Sure, the movie "Snakes On a Plane" was scary. But how about this sequel: "Snakes In a Cheap Motel Room?"
Fairfax City police said they found 17 exotic snakes, 12 of them poisonous, inside Room 11 of the Hy-Way Motel near Fairfax Circle last night, after the management alerted them to a foul odor. The snakes took up residence at the Hy-Way on Sunday, and avoided detection by hiding inside large suitcases, police said.
Two of the smaller snakes, possibly future meals for their larger brethren, passed away during their vacation at the Hy-Way, police said, thus creating the tell-tale odor that led to their sudden eviction today.
Police believe the snakes may belong to an Arlington County man who proudly kept as many as 100 exotic snakes in his home until recently. This did not endear him to the neighbors, who occasionally came across the random Mexican Lancehead rattlesnake rambling about the 'hood, and so Arlington in May passed an ordinance banning venomous snakes and other poisonous reptiles.
Fairfax City Lt. Mike Artone said a man paid for a week in advance at the Hy-Way and the man "may be involved in some kind of similar case in Arlington County." He did not disclose the man's name because he has not been charged with a crime -- although it has long been illegal in Fairfax City to harbor poisonous snakes -- and had not yet been located by the police.
Arlington officials said today that Peter T. Nguyen, 39, of Quintana Street in North Arlington had until July 1 to remove all poisonous creatures from his home. Police Det. Crystal Nosal said she did not know if animal control officers had visited Nguyen to see if he had truly gone venom-free.
But Fairfax City police said late today that an "unnamed Arlington man" called them, after being contacted by a reporter, and volunteered that yes, the snakes of the Hy-Way Motel were indeed his. Lt. Bert Peacher said the man planned to come into police headquarters Saturday and pick up his summons, a misdemeanor, for harboring poisonous snakes, which could subject him to a fine if convicted. The man's name would be released then.
Nguyen could not be reached for comment today, though he declined to speak with WRC-TV (Channel 4).
Peacher said the man explained that he was in the process of snake divestiture, had sent a number of his scaly friends to Florida already, but had one last batch still in the area. The man said he had placed the deadly reptiles with a friend (human), but that friend had to return them unexpectedly. This led the man to stash them at the Hy-Way, Peacher said, and he was unaware that they had been discovered and relocated.
Fairfax City police checked other area motels and hotels and did not find any legless guests elsewhere.
Police said that the snakes had been stored in vented plastic boxes, which were then placed inside large vinyl bags throughout Room 11. Housekeepers who checked in on the room did not see anything disturbed and had no reason to open the bags spread around the room, including some next to the mirrored headboard. The guest who rented the room apparently wasn't staying there.
But the foul odor convinced the proprietor to call police last night, Artone said, and after discovering the slithery but seemingly contained menagerie, officers backed off until more expert snake-handlers could be summoned.
An animal control officer and two snake experts visited the Hy-Way today to catalog the snakes and oversee their removal to an exotic animal zoo in central Virginia, police said. The breeds included African puff adders, cottonmouths, rhinoceros vipers, albino cottonmouths, speckled rattlesnakes and a black-headed python, police said.
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RE: 17 Exotic Snakes Found in Fairfax Hotel Room
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by rthom on July 11, 2008
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http://www.news8.net/news/stories/0708/535131_video.html?ref=newsstory
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RE: 17 Exotic Snakes Found in Fairfax Hotel Room
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by rthom on July 11, 2008
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Here's another!
http://www.news8.net/news/stories/0708/535131.html
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RE: 17 Exotic Snakes Found in Fairfax Hotel Room
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by Fishmich on July 12, 2008
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looked like a few rare snakes there. especially that parviocula. its a shame the guy wasnt given a bit more time to move them. id say leaving them unattended in a hotel room was a pretty bad idea though.
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RE: 17 Exotic Snakes Found in Fairfax Hotel Room
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by atwageman on July 12, 2008
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Damn I don't know what to say. Now I've been on vacation or stayed overnight at hotels during shows etc. So a stench coming from the hotel room was non issue. Plus upon checking into the room I would stick a sign on the door stating--"ABSOLUTLY NO MAID SERVICE NEEDED DURING DURATION OF STAY". Other then a temporary stay I would never keep a bunch of snakes stashed in a hotel room.
That guy can't catch a break.
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RE: 17 Exotic Snakes Found in Fairfax Hotel Room
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by Buzztail1 on July 27, 2010
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This thread is closed.
If you have a personal axe to grind, please do it somewhere else - NOT on this site.
Any further posts will be summarily deleted.
R/
Karl
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