Alligator Attacks Police Car In Florida (VIDEO)

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) -- A 10-foot-long alligator has taken a bite out of a Florida deputy sheriff's cruiser.

Authorities say Alachua County Deputy Victor Borrero spotted the gator Saturday evening near the Gainesville Golf and Country Club. It attacked the patrol car while the deputy was waiting for an alligator trapper to show up.

Sheriff's spokesman Todd Kelly says the car's front bumper was heavily damaged.

A Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission spokeswoman said the alligator was put down under the state's nuisance gator policy. Under that policy, the trapper is allowed to keep meat and hide from the gator.

WATCH:

Comments

[golions]

12:46 PM on 05/05/2011

Florida has neighborhoods that are interconnected with networks of canals because of practical construction necessities. These communities were built when alligators were on the endangered species list and its population was not expected to rebound.

After the population did rebound, some of the animals basically swam into suburban backyards. Arguably it should be a criminal misdemeanor to feed them--that's how they turn into nuisances. Clearly this animal was very aggressive.

Along with sharks, coral snakes, water moccasins, crocodiles, and tropical parasites, this is one more reason not to live in Florida.

[Querent]

02:56 PM on 05/05/2011

Not to mention what is possibly the most ignorant voting citizenry in the country.

[golions]

03:16 PM on 05/05/2011

In the 1970s a Palm Beach County elementary school changed its grading system to pass/fail because too many parents couldn't understand a report card. Later they entered the voting booth...

[European1919]

06:54 AM on 05/05/2011

He knew they were going to execute him and he wasn't going to take it lying down. Way to go Mr. Alley Gaitor. You sock it to them.

[roninroshi]

08:30 PM on 05/04/2011

"No one was hurt"...other than the gator who was killed!

[robnelsong]

04:20 PM on 05/04/2011

That's no cop car. That's one of Limbaugh's replicas that he uses to cruise around Florida. The alligator just smelled spoiled meat.

[bungaylad]

03:40 PM on 05/04/2011

The gator probably wanted a doughnut!

[patches12]

12:48 PM on 05/04/2011

Pooches do their part in service to America

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/3562677/Fearless-four-legged-war-hero.html

[chucknchar]

08:55 AM on 05/04/2011

We must send a message to other gators that this is unexceptable behavior and hopefully Allstare has alligator teeth damage coverage and that the deductable isn't too much.

[jws2346]

06:51 AM on 05/04/2011

Alligator = 1, Poe Poe = 0

[Robert Frank]

06:41 AM on 05/04/2011

great another animal minding its own business is killed for being a "nuisance" the only nuisance on this earth is idiotic and selfish humanity...its always easier to kill something than to attempt to relocate it...humans are nothing more than monkeys with guns

[magnumbob1]

08:21 AM on 05/04/2011

‘Spoken with the arrogance of someone who has no idea that they are simply another animal who is part of the natural food chain.
It's easy to harbor such unrealistic views when the vast majority of Americans live in an area that is 100% safe from natural predators because earlier generations already eradicated all the dangerous species.
Nature isn’t a Disney movie. It’s beautiful and serine, it’s ugly and brutal. Possibly, if you actually lived every day amongst creatures that would like to eat you if given a chance, you would have a slightly different outlook.

[Robert Frank]

08:55 AM on 05/04/2011

golly gee I sure am glad that you edu-macted me to the laws of the jungle...

[Stilyagi]

02:58 PM on 05/04/2011

I'm sure they're much more concerned about all the animals around them that would like to shoot their brains out, just for "sport", or to make money off their dead carcass.

[jcarterla]

05:36 AM on 05/04/2011

Of all the reasons that I cringe at the thought of going to Florida, alligators are probably number one.

[transe]

07:46 AM on 05/04/2011

9 times out of 10, an alligator isn't going to mess with you. most of the time, they get aggressive when idiots feed them. when they have eggs, is another time you have to be careful. just respect them, and keep an eye on them.

[janibowe]

07:54 AM on 05/04/2011

Ditto.

[ndnd]

05:07 AM on 05/04/2011

"When I am president, I will look gators in the eyes and tell them the party is over!" Donald Trump

[666dorado]

04:27 AM on 05/04/2011

"heavily damaged" bumper? i think tornado-ravaged alabama is more deserving of that description.

[reck222]

02:42 AM on 05/04/2011

This is what happens in a world with REAGANOMICS!!!

[AdobePhsyko]

12:27 AM on 05/04/2011

A few months ago , a pit bull named Winston did $17,000 damage to a police car.
That Gator is a Punk

[ModerateCentrist]

02:02 PM on 05/04/2011

too true! Winston's my hero :)

and for those who haven't seen it -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-P1erlGV5Jk

[aligatorhardt]

11:01 PM on 05/06/2011

Send the dog over for a one on one! I would like to have him for dinner.

[CajunSpectre]

12:19 AM on 05/04/2011

I feel sorry for poor police car, it was an innocent victim in this encounter :). If there is a next time, the police should call the Swamp People, they know how to take care of a rowdy little gator.

[Anne Mccormick]

01:22 AM on 05/04/2011

yes, but i hope that rowdy little gator was sent back to the swamp where he belongs

[dagmaclugh39]

02:29 AM on 05/04/2011

"He"? Hey, wait a minute! Maybe "he" was going through menopause!

[aligatorhardt]

11:04 PM on 05/06/2011

He was shot.