SANTEE, S.C. (AP) — Authorities say a 71-year-old conservationist has died after being bit by a rattlesnake near Lake Marion.
Clarendon County Coroner Hayes Samuels said that venom from the rattlesnake caused Wayne Grooms' death.
The coroner says Grooms also had a medical condition, so autopsy results were needed to determine what killed the conservationist.
Samuels says Grooms was bitten on the leg Sunday afternoon at the Santee National Wildlife Refuge near Santee and died about 15 minutes later as a friend tried to help him to a car.
Grooms was a commissioner for the Lexington County Soil and Water Conservation district. Friends say he was an avid outdoorsman.
Read more top trending stories on wsoctv.com:
- Search continues for toddler attacked by gator at Disney resort
- Woman responds to rude note left on car in veteran parking spot
- Parents of Concord man who died in Orlando attack say he was strong in faith
- Downed tree leaves more than 2,000 without power in east Charlotte
- Driver impaled by fence post in north Charlotte crash
Cox Media Group
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/LH3JSJEF3VBLRJLJQESEAG34AM.png)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/CPEHEMYETVGMXPGPMRCU32QFJM.jpg)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/IECLZ25KHBB2RL4UE2PRALJAZA.jpeg)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/SKXSLKHT3FB3NPORZ37MOTANTI.png)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/V2LHQ3SVK5DWNA7NL7MLKJ5MQ4.jpeg)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/P4NHY5K3YVDN7I2OQ22KMXHGZA.jpeg)