FWC: Man responsible for escaped Ocala cobra arrested

MARION COUNTY, Fla. — A snake apprentice who said he accidentally left a cage open when a suphan cobra escaped has been charged, said officials with the Florida Wildlife Conservation Commission.

Ian Michael Arnol Nesmith was found by FWC to be in violation of allowing wildlife to escape from an enclosure, cage, leash or other constraint or that results in injury to any person.

The 2-foot suphan cobra disappeared March 13 at an Ocala home on NE 5th Street and has never been caught.

"I'm just upset and aggravated," said a neighbor Nana Snyder.

The cobra not only escaped the cage, but also a snake-proof room, FWC said.

Nesmith said he went to check on the snake and initially couldn't see the cobra in the cage. Nesmith said he opened the cage, placed a clear shield in front of him, used a small hook to lift the water bowl up on the side. The cobra came from the water bowl and began crawling toward the open cage. Nesmith said he freaked out, screamed and tried to hook the snake back inside the cage, but it escaped, investigators said.

FWC said Nesmith didn't have a lot of experience with the snakes and was "easily excited" over small things.

Nesmith wasn't permitted or allowed to open the cages of the venomous snakes if owner wasn't around, investigators said.

The snake's owner, Brian Purdy, is licensed to have multiple venomous reptiles and said his apprentice, who was learning to handle them, was with the cobra when it escaped.

Purdy speculated the cobra may have been eaten by his large monitor lizard. However, further testing proved the lizard did not eat the cobra.

"(You're) afraid to go out in your backyard. (You're) worried about getting in your car. We're constantly looking around, especially when we open our doors to go outside for any reason," said Snyder.

Purdy keeps his venomous reptiles in a spare room in the back of the house, FWC said. The room is designated to be escape proof, and has two doors with a hasp and a key padlock that connect the room to the rest of the house, as well as warning signs about the venomous reptiles, FWC said.

Several options were used to find the cobra, but it was never found.

Nesmith told Channel 9's Myrt Price that he wasn't interested in doing an interview with Eyewitness News. He said he is ready for all of this to be over.

Cox Media Group