Oh my goodness, what a scary experience! I'm glad your neighbor escaped unharmed. Wood piles are very attractive havens for snakes.
I run into snakes in the yard every once in awhile, but so far they have been the relatively harmless, non poisonous variety. One was a big black snake and I nearly picked it up thinking it was a fallen tree branch in my wooded area.
Excellent safety reminder for people when they let their doggies roam in the yard.