A suspected drunk driver in Louisiana allegedly tried to outrun police by plunging into a swamp, only to find an alligator waiting in the water.
The swamp escape left 40-year-old Victor Rivas with injuries to both arms before deputies finally caught up with him Sunday in St. Charles Parish.
The first sign of trouble came on the highway, where police said Rivas damaged his Toyota Supra badly enough to lose a tire after hitting a concrete barrier near New Orleans.
The blown tire did not end the drive, according to troopers. The damaged car was eventually stopped on an interstate in St. Charles Parish, where troopers said they noticed possible signs of impairment.
Before the roadside investigation could play out, police said Rivas bolted.
His escape route carried him from an elevated stretch of highway down into the swamp below.
Louisiana troopers and St. Charles Parish sheriff’s deputies launched a search and eventually spotted him walking near another highway in the area.
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But when officers closed in again, Rivas allegedly made another break for the swamp. This time, the water fought back.
Authorities said an alligator surfaced after Rivas entered the swamp and attacked him, leaving injuries to both of his arms.
Body camera video released by the sheriff’s office showed the chaotic scene from a distance, with Rivas and the gator thrashing near the bank for roughly 30 seconds.
Even after the attack, authorities said Rivas still tried to keep fleeing.
Deputies eventually used drones to locate him, and he was taken into custody after receiving hospital treatment for his injuries.
The sheriff’s office said the wounds were not believed to be life-threatening.
Rivas was booked into Nelson Coleman Correctional Center on charges of driving while impaired and resisting an officer, according to the sheriff.
State police said additional warrants tied to the initial highway crash are also pending.
Louisiana State Police used the swamp attack as a warning about the dangers of getting behind the wheel after drinking.
“Impaired driving can lead to serious and unpredictable consequences,” state police commented.
“Motorists are urged to make responsible decisions, plan ahead, and always designate a sober driver.”
The Louisiana run-in was not the only recent alligator encounter to make headlines.
A Texas man got his own reptile surprise before sunrise when the “package” on his porch turned out to be an alligator.
Fulshear police said the resident only realized the shape on the porch was alive after his screen door bumped into it.
The department blamed recent storms for pushing wildlife into unexpected places.
“With all the heavy rain we’ve been getting lately, it seems the gators are on the move,” the police department commented about the situation.
“This little fella decided to skip the swamp and upgrade to porch life this morning.”
Video released by police showed the gator stretched out on the concrete porch as the homeowner explained the mix-up to responding officers.
Officers wrangled the alligator and relocated it to a nearby pond.
Police reminded residents to avoid getting close to displaced wildlife and call authorities instead.
“If you see an unexpected visitor like this around your home, give it plenty of space and let us handle it,” the department said. “Apparently, even the gators are looking for higher ground these days!”
The department also could not resist adding a joke after the porch visit.
“And yes, before anyone asks, this little gator is not paying property taxes.”
The alligator trouble turned criminal in North Carolina, where wildlife officials said a 12-foot gator was found dead along a Dare County highway.
The person responsible was ordered to pay $2,283 in fines and replacement costs, complete 200 hours of community service and surrender the gun used in the killing.
Authorities said officers later found the weapon after the suspect was caught carrying it concealed without a permit on the same day the alligator was shot.
Florida prosecutors also took aim at livestreamed gator antics after influencer Braden Peters, known online as Clavicular, allegedly fired at a dead alligator in the Everglades.
Peters was charged in May with discharging a firearm in a public place, according to reports.
Law enforcement sources told TMZ the alligator was floating upside down in the water when Peters allegedly fired at it.
Prosecutors accused him of unlawfully firing a gun in a public place, on or over a public road, highway, street or occupied premises.
His attorney previously said Peters had been “following the instructions of a licensed airboat guide” and that “no animals or people were harmed” during the incident.
Video of the alleged shooting appeared to show Peters riding through the Everglades on an airboat before coming across the dead alligator and firing several handgun shots.
Law enforcement sources said Peters could have faced federal charges if the alligator had been alive, because American alligators are listed as threatened and protected under the Endangered Species Act.
The Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission opened an investigation after the footage surfaced.
Peters had reportedly faced up to a year behind bars if convicted, but later pleaded no contest. He was sentenced to six months of probation.
Under the deal, the case can be removed from his record if he finishes firearms and wildlife safety courses and completes 20 hours of community service that officials said “cannot be streamed or monetised.”
