Florida man attacked by alligator after hearing noise, opening front door
By Hayley Crombleholme
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DAYTONA BEACH, Florida (WESH) — Daytona Beach police officers responded to a home Saturday night after being notified about an alligator attack.
According to police, officers were called to a home on Champions Drive around 9:42 p.m. Saturday after a resident was bitten by a gator.
Police say the resident opened his front door after hearing a noise that he thought was someone looking for his son.
After opening the door, the gator lunged at and bit the man’s upper thigh.
“Went outside and didn’t turn the light on and just got a step outside and something grabbed me on the leg, started shaking violently,” Scott Hollingsworth, the man who was bitten, said.
He thought it was a dog. It was an alligator.
“Six feet or seven feet,” Hollingsworth said. “I really didn’t get a good look at it. When I saw what it was, I stepped back in the house and closed the door. Looked down and I had a large gash in the side of my leg. I was trying to put pressure on it.”
The Hollingsworth family says they were later told by wildlife officials the alligator was closer to nine feet.
They said they’ve seen alligators in the pond behind their house before but never on their front step.
Florida Fish and Wildlife was called out and the alligator responsible for biting Hollingsworth was euthanized by a trapper, according to Daytona Beach police.
Hollingsworth was taken to the hospital, where he had to get surgery on his leg.
“Fortunately, there’s no damage to my knee, which I was concerned about,” Hollingsworth said. “Everything’s going well.”
Hollingsworth did have plans to enjoy Daytona Bike Week. He may have to wait until next year.
“Probably won’t be biking anytime soon. Absolutely,” Hollingsworth said.
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