Motorcyclist airlifted to hospital after collision with 10-foot gator
WIMAUMA (FOX 13) - A motorcyclist is in the hospital with serious injuries after colliding with a massive alligator on a Wimauma road early Friday morning, the second such crash in Florida this week.
Calun Nelson, 27, was riding his Suzuki motorcycle westbound on State Road 674 just before 12:30 a.m. when an alligator crossed the road right in front of him. Nelson collided with the 10-foot, 9-inch gator and the impact threw him from the motorcycle.
Nelson was airlifted to the hospital in serious condition, but he has since been updated to good condition. He is expected to be OK.
A trapper removed the alligator from the roadway. The alligator was "listed in critical condition," an FHP spokesman offered, but later "expired from injuries sustained during the crash."
This is the second alligator-involved crash this week. On Tuesday, South Florida attorney Jennifer Rosinski struck a 9-foot alligator on I-75 in North Port, causing her car to flip multiple times.
Rosinksi suffered only minor cuts and bruises, and is recovering at home.
”It really surprised me. I didn’t know it was an alligator. It was moving so fast when it happened. I thought it was a fox or a deer,” she told FOX 13. ”Only in Florida are you going to have a gator crossing I-75."
It's unclear why the alligators tried crossing the roadways. The crashes happened during what is turning out to be a very active alligator mating season. Some experts say limited rainfall and drier conditions may also get some alligators moving to search for water.
More stories about alligators:
- Lakeland gators especially active during mating season
- WATCH: Massive gator saunters across path at Polk County reserve
- Meet 'Pearl,' the rare albino alligator at Gatorland
- Gargantuan alligator is big draw after viral video
- VIDEO: Burmese python fights alligator in Big Cypress swamp
- Alligator swims peacefully with manatees at Blue Spring
- WATCH: Gator jumps into vacationer's boat during Facebook Live