An unexpected encounter with an alligator on a Texas highway has tragically resulted in one death and four injuries.
On State Highway 35, a truck carrying five passengers collided with an alligator, causing the vehicle to overturn and slide into an adjacent field. The aftermath of the incident has been captured in police-released photographs.
Upon notification of the accident, emergency services, including Refugio County deputies and fire and medical response teams, rushed to the site. All the passengers, two adults and three children, were transported to local hospitals for treatment.
Tragically, the driver, who was a pregnant woman from Louisiana, did not survive the accident. The four other occupants, however, are expected to recover from their injuries. The alligator involved in the incident also did not survive.
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has reported that encounters with alligators have been increasing in Refugio County, situated around 60 miles north of Corpus Christi. This uptick is attributed to the growing alligator population and humans progressively encroaching on their natural habitats.