KENNEWICK, Wash. (AP) — A rattlesnake that slithered near a Kennewick playground on Thursday was quickly dispatched by a police officer and tossed in the Columbia River.
A Seattle couple called 911 when they spotted the snake moving in the grass near the playground. Families cowered in their cars until the police arrived.
The Western rattlesnake is common in Eastern Washington but they aren’t usually found so far away from the sunny rock crevices they call home.
Kennewick’s park manager says this was his first report of a rattlesnake in Columbia Park and he’s worked for the city for 19 years. It’s uncommon to find rattlesnakes near developed areas.
