New details emerge in snake bite death

COLUMBIA, SC A West Columbia naturalist who died after a snake bit him three weeks ago was looking for a place to swim at a national wildlife refuge when a rattler emerged from a brushy area and struck him above the left ankle, according to an incident report released by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

The report verifies much of the initial information about the death of Wayne Grooms the afternoon of June 12, but provides details about the circumstances surrounding the snake bite at Santee National Wildlife Refuge.

According to the report, Grooms suffered from diabetes and heart disease and was taking blood thinners. He died as he tried to return to his car, and was discovered face down on a rural road when emergency crews arrived about 3:46 p.m. that day, the report said. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Two puncture wounds were found about an inch apart on his leg, the report said.

The report said Grooms and a friend arrived at the wildlife refuge about 3:10 p.m., and got out of his Subaru, then walked a short distance to a rocky area of Lake Marion. The road where the car was parked was about 50 feet from the lake.

But after surveying the area, they decided it was not a good spot for swimming and decided to leave. As the two walked down from the rocks and through the brush, the snake struck, the report said. Grooms told his friend he’d been bitten by what appeared to be a rattlesnake, the federal report said.

“What should we do?,’’ Grooms asked after the snake attack. His friend said they should return to the car, the report said.

Grooms’ death, attributed by the coroner to the snake bite, stunned many people in South Carolina because fatal snake bites are so rare. Friends of Grooms said they were surprised that such a tragedy could happen to him, since he was experienced in the outdoors.

Grooms, 71, was a Lexington Soil and Water Conservation district commissioner. He was commemorated recently with a memorial service at Peachtree Rock, a state nature preserve where was widely known for his volunteer work.

This story was originally published July 5, 2016 at 4:01 PM with the headline "New details emerge in snake bite death."