Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Around the Campfire => Topic started by: criveraville on July 31, 2012, 02:40:13 am
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This so crazy I had to share... And I agree with the ticket.. >:D
Man who lost hand to alligator charged with unlawful feeding
Talk about adding insult to injury: An Everglades tour guide who lost his hand to an alligator last month was arrested over the weekend, charged with unlawful alligator feeding.
Wallace Weatherholt, a 63-year-old airboat captain, was leading a tour on June 12 when the group encountered a 9-foot alligator. Passengers told the Fort Myers News-Press that Weatherholt "hung a fish over the side of the boat and had his hand at the water's surface when the alligator attacked."
Wildlife officials then tracked and killed the alligator, according to the paper. They "retrieved Weatherholt's hand from its stomach, but doctors were unable to reattach it."
Weatherholt was charged with unlawful feeding, a second-degree misdemeanor, on Friday. He posted $1,000 and was released from Collier County Jail.
Feeding alligators is illegal in the state of Florida, where at least 19 people have been cited in the last two years, according to West Palm Beach's WPTV. The charges carry a fine of up to $500 and possible jail time.
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Not quite one for the Darwin awards, but getting close! Ron
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At least the tourist got their money's worth on that ride. ;D Now they need to charge the kid that got his bit off a couple of weeks later trying to play 'Gator Boy" ::).
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I am willing to believe that this was not the FIRST time this gator had been hand fed fish.
David
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All you can do is shake your head.....amazing what people who should know better actually do sometimes..(still shaking my head)
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Sounds to me as though Florida has come up with a natural thinning of the herd......I say give the 2 idiots a second chance...no fines! :laugh:
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At least the tourist got their money's worth on that ride. ;D Now they need to charge the kid that got his bit off a couple of weeks later trying to play 'Gator Boy" ::).
They did get a good deal 8) I'm just curious if the gator yelled, "Dude I got a hand!" >:D
Cipriano
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Serves the Dumb Ass right. I feel bad for the alligator, he was Doing his job. ;) dpg
Those tourists did get a heck of a deal though. ;D
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Brian, there's not enough gators to thin the herd that keeps arriveing here everyday. Maybe they could hand feed the croc's and monitor lizards, too. >:D
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Too bad he wasn't holding the fish with his teeth!
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Eddie, what's even funnier is I bet they would pay for a chance, and there would be a line! Just tell them it's part of the disney expirience... put mickey mouse ears on that gator, they will buy it! ;D