Kentucky snake-handling preacher featured in reality show dies from snake bite

A Kentucky snake-handling Pentecostal preacher featured in the National Geographic Channel reality show "Snake Salvation" died Saturday night in Middlesboro, Ky., after a rattlesnake bit him during a church service, Evan Johnson reports for WBIR in Knoxville. The preacher, Jamie Coots, 42, was featured on The Rural Blog in a story in August. (Tennessean photo by Shelley Mays: Jamie Coots handling a snake in church)

"Middlesboro Police Chief Jeff Sharpe said officials discovered that Coots died in his home about 10 p.m. Saturday after a snake reportedly bit his hand at the Full Gospel Tabernacle in Jesus Name," Johnsonn writes. "Coots left the church and went home before emergency personnel arrived. Officials then went to Coots's house, but the pastor denied medical treatment, according to Chief Sharpe. About an hour later, officials said they returned to his home, but Coots had already passed away." Coots had been bitten eight previous times, according to his son. (Read more)