It is a well-known fact that kids will try to get out of things by making up crazy excuses. But sometimes the truth is stranger than fiction. Such was the case in Missouri City, Texas, when a middle-school girl attempted to get to her first day of school on time but was stopped by an alligator in her driveway.
Eleven-year-old Caitlyn ran to get her father, Mike Trinh, who was skeptical of the situation at first. Mike told Fox Weather, "She ran back, told me there was a gator in front of the house. I thought she was playing, trying to skip school and I said no you’re going to school. Came out, that thing was waiting right in front of my door."
Mike first attempted to call someone for help but could not reach anyone quickly. He took matters into his own hands. Luckily, Mike is a mixed martial arts fighter and has a black belt in jiujitsu. He explained, "Once you sit on its back, I pinned him with my knees on his head. I spun to the back, back take, grabbed the mouth.” He makes it sound so easy.
Mike then put the alligator into the back of his pickup truck. He drove to a nearby pond and let the animal go. The alligator quickly swam away. Mike added, “I figured the right, humane thing to do was just release it back.” He joked, “I guess you can cross it off my bucket list."
While this story had a happy ending that included no loss of limbs and Caitlyn getting to school on time, authorities do not advise you to follow Mike’s example. Instead, call for help. The director of Fort Bend County Animal Services, Rene Vasquez, wants to remind readers that “alligators are protected animals in the state of Texas.” The animals are simply searching for water during a drought. “If people have sprinkler systems, believe it or not they will come up to water."
