EUGENE, Mo. – Snakes on a plane? Try snakes in a car. Or as one Missouri family recently learned the hard way, a snake popping out of a car hood mid-drive.

LeAnna Binkley was driving her son to baseball practice one day in Eugene, Missouri when she locked eyes with a “sneaky passenger.” Specifically, a coachwhip snake.

According to the Missouri Department of Conservation, the snake’s head suddenly popped out from under the hood of LeAnna’s moving car.

Unsure what to do next, LeAnna and her son pulled over and attempted to “chase” the snake out of the car, but it quickly retreated under the vehicle’s hood.

A short time later, LeAnna, a teacher in the Cole R-5 school district, drove to her school and recruited a team of colleagues to help. After some creative and “intense efforts,” the crew safely removed the snake.

Fortunately, no one was harmed. Not even the snake.

So how did it get there? That’s a mystery, but not exactly out of the ordinary.

According to MDC, snakes like the coachwhip species are drawn to warm, dark and enclosed spaces, like engine compartments. A recently parked vehicle may seem like the perfect hideout, that is until the engine starts again.

The Eastern Coachwhip are common in the Missouri Ozarks and most active from April to early November. While they typically live on dry, rocky glades or brushy hillsides, a parked vehicle may offer similar shelter.

While the coachwhip isn’t venomous, a snake inside the car, a car hood or peeping out of a car nonetheless could certainly catch someone off guard.

It’s not out of question for snakes to show up out of car engines, especially if the car is parked outside rural or wooded areas for extended periods of time. So if you notice any strange sounds or smells, it might be worth a quick peek under the hood.

And if you ever happen to find the slithery surprise? Stay calm and contact you local conservation agents or an MDC wildlife biologist for help.