Amazon driver in serious condition after rattlesnake bit her while making delivery to Florida home
- Monet Robinson, 21, was bitten by an Eastern Diamondback rattlesnake while dropping off a package at a home in Palm City, Florida.
- She remained calm and immediately called 911 for help.
- Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnakes are seen in every county in Florida
An Amazon driver in Florida is clinging to life after being bitten by an Eastern Diamondback rattlesnake while delivering a package.
Monet Robinson, 21, was at the door of a Palm City home where the invisible snake was coiled near the front door.
The snake jumped and bit her on the back of her leg, just above the knee. Martin County Sheriff’s Office declared
The driver immediately became ill and called 911 for help.
“He looks like black and yellow and he makes a lot of noise, a big rattle,” Robinson was heard saying during the phone call. Investigators said the 21-year-old had never seen a snake before she was attacked.
When police rushed to the scene, moments after the bite, Robinson was already on the ground.
Monet Robinson, 21, was dropping off a package Monday evening at a Palm City home where the snake (pictured) was coiled near the front door.
Robinson was seen on the ground with a neighbor outside a Palm City home after the bite
Dispatchers were able to pinpoint the victim’s exact location using cell phone GPS coordinates and sent help.
“Where is the bite?” A deputy was heard asking in body camera footage as he arrived at the scene. Crews then worked to treat Robinson and take him to the hospital.
She remains in “very serious condition,” the sheriff’s office said. They added that the snake was captured and euthanized.
Amy Kight, executive director of the Busch Wildlife Sanctuary in Jupiter, said WPBF that Robinson may have saved his own life by remaining calm and calling 911.
“I was really, really shocked,” she said. Rattlesnakes are common in South Florida, but rattlesnake bites are not,” she said.
She explained that the snake reacted to what it saw as a threat.
“When the hand came out and the package fell, the snake just thought it was protecting itself,” Kight said. “And the poor Amazon driver didn’t stand a chance.”
Robinson immediately called 911 and was taken for treatment after the bite.
The sheriff’s office said the snake was captured and euthanized.
Dispatchers were able to pinpoint the victim’s exact location using GPS coordinates from their cellphone and sent help.
Branden Baribeau, an Amazon spokesperson, said the company was investigating the incident.
He added that Robinson is part of the Delivery Services Partner Program, technically an independent company that hires drivers to deliver on Amazon’s behalf.
“Our hearts go out to the pilot and we hope he makes a full recovery after this frightening incident,” Baribeau said. “Together with the delivery service partner, we are investigating the circumstances surrounding this incident and continue to ensure that drivers understand that they should not make a delivery if they do not feel safe. »
Nearly one in five drivers making deliveries for Amazon were injured in 2021, according to a study.
Eastern Diamondbacks are the largest species of rattlesnake and are considered one of the most dangerous snakes in North America.
The species can grow to about 7 feet, but is mostly about 4 feet long. Although it is not very aggressive, its massive size and long fangs allow it to produce significant venom, which is fatal in 10 to 20% of cases if left untreated.
“It all depends on the amount of venom released,” said Capt. Rusy Shaw of the sheriff’s office. “If it’s the full dose, the reaction will be quite rapid.”
Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnakes are found throughout Florida, in every county. They also like coastal islands, including most of the Florida Keys.