St. Charles Parish Sheriff Greg Champagne (L) presents the department's award for Deputy of the Year to its newest member, Deputy Al E. Gator. Photo courtesy: St. Charles Parish Sheriff's Office
A St. Charles Parish man learned the hard way that running from law enforcement is a very dumb idea.
Early Sunday morning, Louisiana State Police pulled over Victor Rivas, 40, of Montz, on suspicion of DWI along I-310.
However, Rivas was having none of it.
“He ended up jumping off of the elevated portion of I-310 into the swamp,” says LSP Trooper Kyle Wagner. “We (along with St. Charles Parish deputies) eventually located him just walking on a side of Highway 61, where he attempted to evade us again.”
Once again, Rivas’ method of evading law enforcement was to jump into a swamp; but this time, he pressed his luck a little too far.
He ended up face to face with an alligator; and as usual in these encounters, the advantage goes to the alligator, especially in the alligator’s natural habitat.
“He entered the swamp; and while he was swimming across the canal, he was attacked by an alligator,” says Trooper Wagner.
Rivas was lucky not to become the alligator’s late night snack.
“Luckily, he was able to fend off the alligator, and he continued his attempt to evade law enforcement,” says Wagner, “but we eventually were able to bring him in with the help of a drone.”
Victor Rivas, 40. Credit: St. Charles Parish Sheriff’s Office
Rivas is charged with DWI and resisting an officer.
Additional warrants were obtained for hit and run and careless operation in connection with the earlier crash in Jefferson Parish that led to the traffic stop.
Wagner says before jail, Rivas had to be taken to a hospital to be treated for his bout with the alligator.
“It was obvious that he had been involved in an encounter with an alligator,” Wagner says. “He did have some injuries on both his arms.”
As evidenced by its Facebook page, the St. Charles Parish Sheriff’s Office promoted the alligator, who it identified as Al E. Gator, to the rank of deputy for his heroism.
No word on a potential commendation for the alligator from LSP.
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