Fla boat captain charged with feeding alligator when loses hand

[American Horse]

It's alleged that he deliberately fed the alligator when he hung a fish over the side. An alligator took his hand off at the wrist. His hand was later retrieved from the stomach of the gator but couldn't be reattached.

Feeding alligators is a second-degree misdemeanor, punishable with $500 fine and possible jail time. Feeding them is discouraged because it results in them losing their fear of humans and approaching them or boats for food.

The possiblity of that change of behavior in that particular alligator is moot since it is now dead. The boat captain, 63 year old Wallace Weatherholt has a court date August 22.

Everglades airboat captain who lost hand to alligator faces charges | The News-Press | news-press.com

 

[C_Clayton_Jones]

His hand was later retrieved from the stomach of the gator but couldn't be reattached.

Thankfully.

 

[Politico]

He won't be feeding anymore gators. At least not with that hand.

 

[Noomi]

I think the charges should be dropped. He lost a hand, for heavens sake, he has been punished enough, he certainly won't be feeding alligators anymore.

 

[Mr. Jones]

I think the charges should be dropped. He lost a hand, for heavens sake, he has been punished enough, he certainly won't be feeding alligators anymore.

Yeah I think this should be filled under "time served", or "let that be a lesson to you" etc..

 

[tinydancer]

Oh too funny. My parents used to feed (and everyone bear with me now it was the 70's after all) marshmallows with others in their winter campground.

I was just a teen when I'm sitting in the trailer and all of a sudden out of the blue everyone starts yelling the "Leroy Brown was back in town" and my mom screams at me "grab the marshmallows". Benny aka Cinnamon Saints Ben Beau boston terrier loses it goes across me on the kitchen table and my parents start firing marshmallows out the freaking window.

Any body else ever seen the gator feeding station? Or been on the boats?

 

[tinydancer]

I think the charges should be dropped. He lost a hand, for heavens sake, he has been punished enough, he certainly won't be feeding alligators anymore.

Yeah "whoopsies, that'll learn ya" comes to mind.

 

[strollingbones]

he will never dance with rosie's sisters again.......

 

[whitehall]

We live in a litigation world. By issuing a summons for illegally feeding the thing the municipality dodged a lawsuit.

 

[American Horse]

We live in a litigation world. By issuing a summons for illegally feeding the thing the municipality dodged a lawsuit.

It will be interesting to see how it plays out in the end. I expect that the judge will dismiss the fine or reduce it, if he has that option, and certainly will not impose any jail time. He could say the evidence isn't great enough to pass judgment and dismiss all charges, with time spent working through the system being sufficient as a deterrent.

 

[Politico]

Interesting. So if I blow a hand off while breaking into a bank vault I shouldn't be charged.

 

[Douger]

I think the charges should be dropped. He lost a hand, for heavens sake, he has been punished enough, he certainly won't be feeding alligators anymore.

"Sign here sir". I can't ! It got my hand.
" I'm going to have to take you in for not obeying an officers orders"
DOOO WHAAAAA ?
" Just doing my job sir."
Meatheads and assholes with badges. May they all fucking die.

 

[tjvh]

We live in a litigation world. By issuing a summons for illegally feeding the thing the municipality dodged a lawsuit.

And you are absolutely 100% correct. The guy with the missing hand would be screaming why there were no signs up to protect himself from his own stupidity, while his Lawyer held onto his "good" hand and walked him right into the Courtroom.

 

[uscitizen]

I think the charges should be dropped. He lost a hand, for heavens sake, he has been punished enough, he certainly won't be feeding alligators anymore.

why should they be dropped?
He punished himself for his stupidity, no one else did.

 

[Political Junky]

The gator got a taste for his flesh ... tick tock, as in Captain Hook.

 

[Noomi]

Interesting. So if I blow a hand off while breaking into a bank vault I shouldn't be charged.

Apples and oranges.

 

[Big Black Dog]

When he goes to court, what will he do when they tell him to "raise your right hand and repeat after me..."

 

[Noomi]

When he goes to court, what will he do when they tell him to "raise your right hand and repeat after me..."

The judge should just say that anyway for the humor of it.

 

[Politico]

No it isn't any different. He commited a crime and happened to lose his hand in the process. One does not go hand in hand with the other pun intended.

 

[hortysir]

I think the charges should be dropped. He lost a hand, for heavens sake, he has been punished enough, he certainly won't be feeding alligators anymore.

Not dropped.
He deserves to have it on his record.

Now, I think his hand should serve as his "fine".

But he's guilty and the charges shouldn't be dropped