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“Snake Salvation” reality star Pastor Jamie Coots died Saturday night after he was bitten by a snake, according to local police.
Coots starred on “Snake Salvation” alongside Pastor Andrew Hamblin, from LaFollette, who was recently in court for TWRA citations for snake-handling. The National Geographic show profiled the Pentecostal, serpent handling preachers.
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According to the Middlesboro Police Department, emergency crews responded to reports of a possible snakebite victim at a church on Evans Drive around 8:30 p.m., but say the victim had already left the scene by the time they arrived.
Police say they found Coots at his home with an apparent snakebite to his hand. Officials say EMS responders explained the dangers of not treating the wound, but that Coots still refused to be transferred.
Police and EMS returned to the scene an hour later to find Coots dead.
Coots was the pastor of Full Gospel Tabernacle in Jesus Name church in Middlesboro. He is also the subject of the National Geographic Channel series “Snake Salvation”.
You may recall last February 6 News brought you the story of Coots’ court date on the charges of being pulled over in Knoxville for the unlawful possession of poisonous snakes.
Coots is commonly recognized as the mentor of Andrew Hamblin, found in this 6 News story from December. Both are co-stars of the National Geographic Channel’s reality TV series, “Snake Salvation.”
Agencies/Canadajournal
