A snake got loose on a Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority bus in Philadelphia a little before 3 p.m. Oct. 18. The 4-foot-long boa constrictor was recovered from under a seat by a SEPTA mechanic, who dismantled the seat, according to the Associated Press, and a gloved transit officer who actually retrieved the snake.
The snake's owner, 26-year-old Koron Riley of Philadelphia, told the Inquirer that he draped the snake around his neck and hid it under his jacket. Following the snake getting loose, the bus was evacuated near the intersection of 52nd Street and Westminster Avenue. "People were freaking out a little," said Riley. He reportedly gave the transit officer a hug once the officer handed him his snake.
"There was surely some excitement and some alarm among some folks upon seeing the snake and it getting away from the owner," said transit authority spokesman Andrew Busch. Police have not yet decided whether or not to bring charges against Riley, according to the New York Times. SEPTA has a policy that allows passengers to bring service animals on the bus in containers or cages, but Riley claimed to not have known about it.
No injuries were reported as a result of the snake's escape.
