While nothing that happens in Florida is really that surprising anymore, the occasional new story raises the bar. In the latest story coming from the Sunshine State, The Guardian reports two of the victims in a crash over the weekend were alligators.
On December 9, Hardee County (70 miles outside of Tampa) Sheriffs were called to the scene of a crash involving an SUV that had turned on its side. At the scene sheriffs found a white Ford Explorer on its side and two alligators hanging from the back window. One of those gators was still alive and moving. From the Florida Fish And Wildlife page:
Once on scene, he saw a 6 ½ -foot and 8-foot-long alligator hanging from the rear window of an SUV resting on its side. The officer immediately removed them from the vehicle and, just to be safe, secured their mouths using electrical tape.
What were two teen boys doing with alligators in the back of their SUV? Sheriffs say the 17- and 18-year-old boys had explained they had caught the gators while fishing and admitted to apparently killing them with a large rock. The two teens then loaded the “dead” gators into the SUV to take home. Both alligators died some time after the crash.
Authorities have yet to determine what caused the crash. My theory is they became spooked when they realized one of those dead gators, wasn’t really dead. Whatever it was it was enough to flip the SUV.
So far, both teens have been charged with misdemeanors for the possession of the alligators. Permits and/or special licensing in required in the state for the possession or removal of an alligator, and unfortunately for these teens, one of those gators was still alive at the time of the crash. No other charges have been announced regarding the crash while authorities continue their investigation.