Report: Florida Man Takes Alligator from Golf Course, Beats it to ‘Teach It a Lesson’

According to a report, a Florida man had allegedly taken an alligator from a mini-golf course and attempted to lift the reptile on the “roof of a building” to “teach it a lesson.”

The alleged thief, William “Bubba” Hodge, was arrested in the early hours on Thursday in Daytona Beach Shores.

WOFL reported the police spotted Hodge trying “to throw the reptile onto the roof of a building.” According to the police, Hodge was also slamming the reptile against the building, in addition to throwing it on the ground and “stomping on it twice.”

After they contacted Hodge, the police said he “immediately raised his hands up and was taken into custody.”

The alleged thief had told the authorities that he jumped the fence to the alligator enclosure to steal one. When Hodge was asked what he was supposed to be doing when throwing the gator in the air, he said he was “teaching it a lesson.”

According to police, he was transported to Volusia County Branch Jail, where he was charged with “animal cruelty, possession, and injury of an alligator, unarmed burglary of an unoccupied dwelling, petit theft, and criminal mischief.”

 

Daytona Beach Shores Department of Public Safety said in a Facebook post that “The alligator was returned to management of Congo River Golf from where Hodge claimed to have stolen it after a brief wrestling match.”

WESH reported that “the gator should be OK.”

The New York Post reported, he “remains in custody as of early Friday at the Volusia County Jail on charges including animal cruelty, alligator poaching, burglary of an unoccupied dwelling, criminal mischief and petit theft.” The Post added his bond is set at $4,500 according to online records, and it remains “unclear if he’s hired an attorney who could speak on his behalf.”

While in custody, Hodge allegedly tried to flood his holding cell with toilet paper clogged in the toilet bowl and the floor drain, according to WKMG. He also allegedly threatened to flood the whole facility.