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Orange City, FL - Two motorcyclists sustained injuries after striking a six-foot alligator that had wandered onto I-4.
On Saturday evening, a group of motorcyclists was traveling westbound on Interstate 4 near mile marker 110 in Orange City, Florida.
A 67-year-old man from DeLeon Springs and a 25-year-old woman from Orange City collided with a six-foot alligator lying in the roadway.
The impact caused both riders to veer off the highway, with the man's motorcycle crashing into a tree.
Both were transported to HCA Lake Monroe Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
The male rider, identified as Cameron Gilmore, suffered road rash and broken bones in his foot.
He recounted the harrowing experience, stating, "I just remember one of my friends swerving, and I'm looking at him swerving, and the gator's like 10 feet in front of me."
The female rider, Brandi Gross, sustained a concussion and a cracked bone in her wrist.
Both riders were wearing protective gear, which likely minimized the severity of their injuries.
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officers were dispatched to handle the injured alligator.
As of Monday, the condition of the alligator remains unknown.
Alligators are native to all 67 counties in Florida, with an estimated population of 1.3 million.
The Florida Highway Patrol continues to investigate the incident.