Overview

• The incident occurred on April 28, 2025, when a 10-foot alligator crossed 70-mph traffic and became stranded in the median of Interstate 95 near Jacksonville, Florida.
• Mike Dragich, a Marine veteran and licensed alligator trapper, used a catch pole to subdue the animal before taping its jaws shut and loading it into a pickup truck with assistance from law enforcement.
• The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, and Florida Highway Patrol coordinated the operation to ensure public safety.
• A video of the removal, shared by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, has gone viral with over 9 million views, sparking widespread online reactions to Dragich’s barefoot, camo-clad approach.
• Florida is home to an estimated 1.3 million alligators, and licensed trappers like Dragich play a critical role in addressing nuisance alligators in high-traffic or populated areas.