STUART, Fla. — A person was flown to a hospital with critical accidents Monday after he was attacked by an alligator that bit him at a Stuart park, authorities stated.
The Martin County Sheriff’s Workplace stated the sufferer fell off his bicycle at Halpatiokee Regional Park, situated within the 8300 block of Southwest Misplaced River Highway in Stuart, and into the water, the place he was attacked by the gator.
Video from the sheriff’s workplace confirmed paramedics loading the person on a stretcher right into a Martin County Hearth Rescue helicopter.
Man critically injured after being bit by an alligator at Halpatiokee Park in Stuart. Sufferer fell off of his bike and stated he was attacked. First responders on are the scene now. pic.twitter.com/41d07hpZIT
— MartinCountySheriff (@MartinFLSheriff) July 19, 2021
Deputies stated the person was critically injured within the assault.
“He had a variety of marks throughout his leg, however primarily within the higher thigh,” witness Charlie Shannon stated.
Shannon was strolling his canine Monday when he came across a biker in misery in a physique of water.
“He was hanging on roots like 5 ft beneath,” Shannon stated. “It was arduous to get him out.”
Shannon used his canine leash as a makeshift tourniquet as he and others lifted the person out.
“I hope he is all proper, and simply to have the ability to get him out of the water and tie it off, I believe that helped,” Shannon stated.
Scott Lorraine with the Airborne Mountain Bike Membership additionally came across the scene. He stated the sufferer is an completed rider who misplaced a tire going round a curve, touchdown proper on high of the gator.
“However he slid out and the water is actually a few ft away and he went proper into the water, and simply as unhealthy luck could be, the gator was proper there,” Lorraine stated.
A trapper who got here to the scene and captured the reptile stated the feminine gator was 8 ft lengthy and will probably be relocated.
“She was sitting 10 ft off the financial institution after I confirmed up,” trapper John Davidson stated. “That leads me to consider that she was a feminine and sitting on a nest someplace shut. So we’ll try and rescue the infants if we will.”
Davidson stated gators are further aggressive this time of 12 months. The massive gator was the third he had picked up on Monday alone.
“That is actually fairly out right here,” Davidson stated. “Individuals hike and stroll and also you’re with nature. Particularly this time of 12 months, you simply have to pay attention to what’s round you.”
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Fee stated critical accidents attributable to alligators are uncommon. If anybody encounters a nuisance gator, name 866-FWC-GATOR.
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