Startling bodycam footage captured a Colorado cop’s surprise after discovering a massive, hissing rattlesnake while searching a car — quipping that he knows from Steve Irwin documentaries “how these things go.”
Footage released Tuesday by the Wheat Ridge Police Department captured the terrifying snake rattling at the probing officer, who immediately dropped the lid to the bin containing the creature after it started to loudly hiss at him.
“Yo, you got a rattlesnake in here? What the f–k, dude? Are you kidding me? There’s a f–king live rattlesnake in this bin. Yeah, it’s rattling at me,” the first officer exclaims in the clip.
The shocking discovery was made Sunday when officers pulled over a 2013 Toyota Camry with drug paraphernalia in plain sight, 9 News reported.
The owner of the car, who said she lent it to a friend, appeared taken aback by the discovery.
“It just cocked back and started trying to snap at me and I when I opened that,” he explains to another officer on scene, who says, “Holy s–t, that’s a big one.”
“Wow, I can honestly say I never expected to see that,” the officer adds before joking, “Does he have any other things that might bite me?”
In addition to the large, venomous snake, police found methamphetamine, tin foil with burn marks that suggest fentanyl usage, and a gun.
“As soon as I opened it, I saw it cock its head back at me and I slammed it shut,” the shocked officer added. “I’ve seen enough Steve Irwin documentaries. I know how these things go.”
The car’s owner will not be facing charges, though police are still searching for the friend who borrowed the vehicle.
The drug paraphernalia, drugs and gun were booked into evidence, while the snake was left in the car.
Officers recommended to the car’s owner that they take the snake to a veterinarian.
