SARASOTA COUNTY, Fla. — A road ranger with Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) discovered more than what they expected when they pulled over to assist what they thought was a stranded motorist on I-75 on Monday, June 12, 2023.
Florida Fish and Wildlife (FWC) officers were called after the ranger spotted two people off the roadway with what appeared to be a freshly killed alligator near northbound I-75 at mile marker 187 in Sarasota County.
According to FWC, two people were seen loading the alligator into their truck and taking off on I-75. Utilizing traffic cameras, our officers were given real-time information as they responded, allowing them to work with FHP to apprehend two people with the poached alligator rolled in a tarp about 30 miles down the road.
When the officers uncovered the alligator, they found the long metal shaft though its skull was still connected to a speargun.
Both individuals were charged with the illegal take of an alligator and taken to jail.
