Good Samaritan at risk after raccoon attack

Montgomery County health officials are searching for a middle-aged man they think may have been exposed to rabies this week when he came to the aid of a young girl in Lower Merion as she was attacked by a rabid raccoon.

Health Department officials for the county said the man, described as a 6-foot white male in his 50s or 60s, encountered the girl Thursday around 4 p.m. while driving near the Bridlewild Trail in Gladwyne as she attempted to stave off a raccoon that had begun attacking her leg.

The man, whom authorities are calling a "Good Samaritan," stopped his car and beat the raccoon with a hockey stick until it released its clamp on the girl.

He then drove the girl home in a small tan or bronze SUV, authorities said, but left before identifying himself.

The raccoon was later captured by Lower Merion's animal control department. On Saturday, the raccoon tested positive for rabies.

Authorities are asking the man to come forward to determine whether he was exposed to the raccoon's saliva. The girl started postexposure prophylaxis, also known as the rabies shots, Thursday evening, and is recovering at home.

To reach the Montgomery County Health Department, call 610-278-5117.

- Caitlin McCabe