U.S.

Kentucky man dies from snake bite at church service

/ CBS/AP

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- A Kentucky sheriff's office says a man has died from a snake bite suffered during a church service.

The Bell County sheriff's office said Monday that 60-year-old John David Brock of Stoney Fork was handling the snake during a Sunday service at a Pentecostal church in Jenson.

Authorities say Brock was bitten on his left arm and refused medical treatment. The sheriff's office says Brock went to his brother's home, where he later died. The local coroner pronounced Brock dead.

Pastor who died handling snakes was bitten at least eight times before

CBS affiliate WKYT reports that the sheriff's department has not said what type of snake bit Brock. Members of the church declined comment.

Snake handling at religious services is most common in Southern Appalachian states. The basis for the practice is a passage in the Gospel of Mark.

Last year, a snake-handling Kentucky pastor who appeared on the National Geographic television reality show "Snake Salvation" died after being bitten by a snake.

First published on July 28, 2015 / 12:40 PM EDT

© 2015 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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