Cops: Fleeing Suspect Is Attacked by Alligator, Still Runs

The police chase was wild enough before the alligator showed up. Louisiana State Police say 40-year-old Victor Rivas fled a traffic stop in St. Charles Parish on Sunday after allegedly driving drunk and recklessly in the New Orleans area, jumping from an elevated stretch of Interstate 310 into the swamp below, per NBC News. Troopers say Rivas, whose Toyota Supra had already hit a concrete barrier and blown a tire, was first reported driving erratically on I-10 in Jefferson Parish, prompting hit-and-run and careless driving warrants.

After the jump, authorities say Rivas was spotted on Highway 61, ran off again into marshy terrain, and was then bitten by an alligator. The St. Charles Parish Sheriff's Office shared video of the attack alongside an AI-generated photo showing an alligator being awarded "deputy of the year." But even with injuries to both arms, Rivas, of Montz, reportedly kept running until officers used a drone to help locate and arrest him, per WDSU. He was treated at a hospital, then booked into the Nelson Coleman Correctional Center on charges including DWI, resisting arrest, and being a fugitive. His bond was set at $17,500. State Police framed the episode as a cautionary tale, saying impaired driving can trigger "serious and unpredictable consequences."