Florida man uses trash bin to catch alligator

MOUNT DORA, Fla. - A dramatic video shows a Florida man forcing an alligator into a garbage bin. 

"Let me know when the head goes inside. Let me know! Somebody let me know when the head goes inside!" Eugene Bozzi is heard shouting.

When he drops the lid, it hits the gator's head and the huge reptile starts thrashing. Eventually, it climbs most of the way inside, and Bozzi struggles to pull the bin upright. 

"So I got the trash can, seen some things on TV," Bozzi said, "I knew if I kept the front of the trash can there, he'd at least either go in or think it's a mouth and retreat, which he kind of did. I just overwhelmed him and threw him inside and walked him down safely, that was it."

Bozzi wheeled the bin down to a nearby lake and released the alligator into the water. The gator moved fast to get away. 

"The weight of him was heavier than I thought he was," Bozzi said, "so I was thinking he kind of heavy, and then when I got him in there he was real strong, felt like a person was inside trying to hit the top trying to get out and I waited for him to calm down and it was done."

Trapper Isaac Rempe, with Affordable Wildlife Removal, says by doing this, Bozzi put himself and others in danger. 

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"Especially backing an animal like that into a corner, there's nothing that's gonna stop...I saw several opportunities where he could have blown around or under the trash can, and an alligator that size will have no problem taking you to the ground, taking a leg, a foot, or at least causing some extremely severe bites," he said.

Officers with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) did show up to talk to Bozzi, but they decided not to cite him for capturing the alligator. 

Rempe says the best thing to do is get everyone inside and leave the gator alone. 

"Realistically, he should have done nothing, gone inside, leave the animal alone, it would have gone on its way. The second recourse would be to contact FWC, have them come and do a removal."

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