By Ron VandenBoom
The woman resident in the 800 block of 17th Street was still shaken and embarrassed when Havre Police Sgt. Randy Robinson arrived on the scene Wednesday.
He was responding to a call that came in shortly after noon that two snakes were blocking the entrance to the residents home.
The resident, who would not identify herself, said she had stepped out of the home just to take out some trash when she noticed what she described as a small water snake.
I thought I can kill that, the woman said, describing how she attempted to drown the snake with water from the garden hose. Thats when these two big huge ones came out.
The snakes migrated to the area of the front porch.
Then it came right here, and I wouldnt come near the steps, and she was in here sleeping, she said, referring to her infant daughter, and I wanted to get in here to her.
The woman, who was obviously still shaken by the incident, said she couldnt use the back door to enter the house because it was locked and she didnt have a key.
Robinson said a city employee, who arrived on the scene moments after the call, retrieved one of the offending serpents and the two remaining were destroyed by Robinson at the residence.
He added that it was not uncommon this time of the year to see snakes migrate into the city where they can find more warmth and that the department receives from 15 to 20 calls each year about snakes that have wandered into residents yards.
The snakes at this residence turned out to be only garter snakes, but Robinson warned that rattlesnakes also occasionally find their way into the city and residents should be careful if they find a snake and not assume it to be harmless.
We dont mind doing this sort of thing, Robinson said.
