An RV filled with several animals, including 28 snakes, was crashed into on Tuesday, Nov. 26, on Interstate 95 in Wilson County, N.C., per WRAL and WSOC.
Just after midnight on Nov. 26, a large box truck rear-ended the RV, which was heading to Pennsylvania from South Carolina. The crash occurred near N. Springfield School Road north of Kenly, in Wilson County, N.C.
Inside were five people, 28 snakes, two tortoises, five Bearded Dragons, two dogs and a cat.
At least one of the snakes that became loose was a small, highly venomous viper. However, the snake’s owner caught the animal before EMS arrived.
The RV was also towing a Jeep Cherokee. When the truck crashed into the RV, the Jeep was crushed and then forced into the RV’s rear bedroom, where one child was sleeping at the time.
He was not seriously injured, and all of the animals survived.
However, the truck driver was seriously injured and transported to WakeMed in Raleigh. It is believed he fell asleep at the wheel. It remains unclear if the driver will face any charges.
“I have a bunch of reptiles, I do reptile expos,” said the RV driver, per WRAL. “I had some venomous snakes get loose in the camper when this accident happened so I had to get the snakes before the EMS personnel came in because I didn’t want to put them at risk. I successfully got them.”
Clayton Barfield, a driver for towing company Mangum’s Towing and Road Service, was one of the first to arrive at the scene.
“When I woke up at 1:30 a.m., I never thought that would be the phone call,” Barfield, a tow truck driver for 16 years, said, per WRAL. “I would say this is in the top 10 of ‘different.’ “
“Our team arrived on the scene, ready to handle the recovery while ensuring the safety of everyone involved- including our reptilian passengers,” Magnum’s Towing and Road Service wrote on Facebook. “We collaborated with local fire fighters & police to secure the recovery of all the wildlife. Once the area was clear and safe, our team towed the units to get the roadway back open.”
“In 19 years, I’ve never seen anything like this,” a North Carolina State Highway Patrol trooper told WRAL.
