DALLAS (1080 KRLD) - An officer with the Northeast Police Department had his hands full Saturday evening.The officer was patrolling near the WalMart in Cross Roads when they heard a loud scream coming from the parking lot. They got there and found a cart attendant in a panic because a large rat snake was curled up in one of the baskets.The officer called in the "Snake Charmer" (a.k.a. John Heckaman). He's from Savannah and he helped relocate the snake to a nearby field.
Police said he was only bitten once in the process.
Rat snakes are nonvenomous and experts say they're actually beneficial. They take care of the rodent population.