It's a scary day when a snake is found in the newsroom

SOUTHFIELD, Mich. (WXYZ) - Action News this Morning Anchor Alicia Smith was the first one to spot the snake in the newsroom.

"I screamed, 'SNAKE!' and no one in the newsroom believed me! That was the funny part. I had to scream it again adding, 'Seriously, people! I'm not kidding! There's a snake in the newsroom!!!" said Alicia. 

The snake was probably a foot long and looked like a common garter snake, but it was enough to give anyone a scare. Especially because no one knew how it got indoors!

Alicia said it was slithering on the floor near Action News anchors Carolyn Clifford and Stephen Clark's desks. When it started sliding under Carolyn's desk, Alicia knew it had to be stopped. 

"I was afraid we wouldn't be able to get it out of there once it disappeared. Could you imagine Carolyn showing up for work, minding her own business at her desk and all of a sudden a snake starts slithering across her foot?! No way! We couldn't let that happen."

So Alicia grabbed the tip of his tail to try to stop him. 

"That made him mad. He started snapping at me. He would spring out with his mouth wide open!"

That's when Associate Producer Barry Cutler came to the rescue.

"I went over to JoAnne Purtan's desk and grabbed a manilla folder," said Barry. "I brought it over to Carolyn's desk and used the folder to swipe the snake into a vase. He kept lunging and swiping at me!." 

Alicia was singing Barry's praises until she found out where he put the snake. 

"I was envisioning that he walked all the way to the edge of Broadcast House property by the woods," explained Alicia.  "Nope. He tossed it out the door right next to where I park."

Barry claims he put it near the anchors' cars because that is probably where it came from, but admits to putting it specifically next to Alicia's car. 

"Thanks a lot, Barry. Now the little bugger is waiting for me!" Alicia laughed.

Hopefully the young snake found his way back home, but everyone will be extra cautious when entering and leaving through the doors by the anchors' cars.