Two fatal rattlesnake bites
Southern California hiking trails have seen two recent fatal rattlesnake bites, with one incident in Wildwood Regional Park/Thousand Oaks and another that killed a 46‑year‑old woman in Ventura County — a reminder to treat this spring as unusually active for venomous snakes. Hikers are being urged to stay vigilant and check local trail advisories. (latimes.com) (ktla.com)
Ventura County Medical Examiner identified the hiker as Gabriela Bautista, 46, of Moorpark and listed the cause of death as rattlesnake venom toxicity; she was bitten in the Wildwood Regional Park area on March 14 and died five days later after being treated at a hospital. (ktla.com)) Ventura County Fire Department public information officer Andrew Dowd told reporters that the county logged nine rattlesnake bites in 2025 and that, as of mid‑March 2026, four bites had been reported since March 14. (ktla.com)) An earlier Southern California fatality involved 25‑year‑old Julian Hernandez of Costa Mesa, who was bitten while mountain biking at the Quail Hill trailhead in Irvine on Feb. 1, fell into a coma and was reported dead on March 4. (cbsnews.com)) Ventura County crews responded to multiple recent incidents in the same region — including a teenage girl rescued after a reported rattlesnake bite near the Wendy Trailhead around 7:30 p.m. last week and transported in stable condition — underscoring the cluster of calls to local emergency services. (abc7.com)) The U.S. Forest Service issued a regional warning about increased rattlesnake activity following the recent deadly cases, while local park agencies continue to post trail access information for Wildwood Regional Park but have not announced blanket closures. (cbsnews.com))
