Clarksville man bitten by snake faces six felonies

JEFFERSONVILLE — A Clarksville teenager bitten by a snake allegedly during a break-in at the Nature Center at O’Bannon Woods State Park in Harrison County was arrested Thursday, while local authorities search for a second suspect.

Travis C. Stotts and Dennis H. Watson, both 19 and from Clarksville, are charged with three counts of class C felony burglary, three counts of class D felony theft and class A misdemeanor unlawful taking or possession of an endangered species.

Stotts was arrested by Indiana conservation officers and transported to the Harrison County Jail. Officers could not immediately locate Watson on Thursday afternoon, but said arrangements were being made for him to turn himself in.

According to Harrison County court records, Stotts and Watson broke down a door to the nature center’s snake room May 7 and stole a massasauga rattlesnake, which is listed as endangered in Indiana. They reportedly took off with the snake in a pillowcase.

Three days later, the duo allegedly returned and Stotts climbed through a window just before midnight May 10.

“They knew the snakes were there, and they decided they were going to break in and take them,” Conservation Officer Mac Spainhour said.

As Stotts allegedly tried to steal a timber rattlesnake, the venomous snake bit his finger. Stotts went to Harrison County Hospital where, according to Spainhour, he told doctors he was bitten in a creek as he stuck his hand under a rock.

Stotts received an anti-venom shot and checked out of the hospital early in the morning May 11.

“He goes to the doctors, and they take a look at him,” Spainhour said. “Then he checked himself out to go clean up the mess.”

Stotts and Watson allegedly returned to the nature center and carried away a collection of Audubon field guidebooks and wildlife books. Despite the treatment he had received, Stotts’ hand continued to swell.

“He had to go back to the hospital because the pain was so bad,” Spainhour said.

When employees at the nature center returned to work later that morning, they reported the burglary to police. Stotts became a suspect because of the timing of him checking into the hospital with a snake bite.

Spainhour said he knows Stotts’ family, and this is not the teenager’s first encounter with snakes.

“Stotts has been out there before. He is very ate up with bugs and snakes,” Spainhour said. “He’s like a Steve Irwin,” he added, referring to the late Crocodile Hunter.

Officers later spoke to Watson, who reportedly confessed. Officers also received information that the stolen snake was at Stotts’ parents house.

“We went out in the garage, and he had a big aquarium with the massasauga rattlesnake,” Spainhour said. “We were able to recover the snake and take it back to the nature center.”

Spainhour said the parents had no idea the snake was there. Stotts spent a night or two in the hospital before being released, Spainhour said. Charges were filed May 25.

If convicted, both men face sentences of two to eight years for each burglary count, six months to three years for each theft count and up to one year for the misdemeanor.