Latest news with #TaraCrescenzi
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
2 motorcyclists injured when they hit a 6-foot alligator on I-4 in Orange City
This story has been updated with new information and to add a video. Two Volusia County motorcyclists and a 6-foot alligator were injured Saturday when the motorcycles struck the gator on Interstate 4 in Orange City, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. The crash occurred at approximately 6:08 p.m. in the westbound lanes of I-4 in the area of mile marker 110 in Orange City, according to FHP. FHP Lt. Tara Crescenzi wrote in an email that while she imagined there have been other accidents involving gators statewide, she was unaware of any others recently in Central Florida. A 67-year-old DeLeon Springs man and a 25-year-old Orange City woman were traveling westbound in the inside lane, which is the closest lane to the median, when they struck the alligator, FHP stated. The impact caused both motorcycles to veer to the left off the highway. The man's motorcycle entered the wood line and struck a tree. The woman's motorcycle left the roadway but did not go as far as the wood line. The man was riding a 2022 Suzuki GSX-R1000R and the woman was riding a 2021 Kawasaki Ninja 650. Both riders were transported to HCA Lake Monroe Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission was called to help with the injured gator. FWC spokesman Chad Weber said the gator was about 6 feet long. He said the FWC called a trapper to remove the gator and the trapper would decide what to do with the gator, including whether to euthanize it. Weber said it's not unusual for an alligator to seek the warmth of a road since the pavement retains heat from the day's sunlight. He said he lives in Lake County and he occasionally sees gators on roads. He said for more information about alligators, people could check the commission's website at The crash remains under investigation. This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: 2 bikers hit gator on I-4 in Orange City, all 3 injured
Toronto Sun
6 days ago
- Automotive
- Toronto Sun
Motorcyclists strike alligator on one of Florida's busiest highways
Published Jun 02, 2025 • 1 minute read In this file photo, an alligator looks on during a practice round prior to the 2021 PGA Championship at Kiawah Island Resort's Ocean Course on May 17, 2021 in Kiawah Island, S.C. Photo by Sam Greenwood / Getty Images ORANGE CITY, Fla. — Two motorcyclists hit a 6-foot alligator in the middle of one of Florida's busiest highways, sending both bikers to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, authorities said. A 67-year-old man and 25-year-old woman riding in a group of motorcyclists on Interstate 4 Saturday evening near Orange City, Florida, struck the alligator, Lt. Tara Crescenzi, a spokeswoman for the Florida Highway Patrol, said Monday in an email. The impact caused both motorcyclists to veer off the highway, and the man's motorcycle crashed into a tree. Both riders were taken to a nearby hospital, Crescenzi said. 'I'm blessed, I was protected,' motorcyclist Cameron Gilmore told Orlando television station WKMG. '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.' Gilmore suffered road rash and some broken bones in a foot. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account Orange City is about 30 miles (48 kilometres) northeast of Orlando, and the speed limit on that stretch of highway is 60 m.p.h. (96.5 km/h). Interstate 4 stretches across central Florida from Tampa to Daytona Beach. Florida wildlife officers were called to trap the injured alligator. A spokesman for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission on Monday didn't respond to an inquiry seeking information about the gator's condition. Alligators are found in all of Florida's 67 counties, and the state's population numbers around 1.3 million. Despite those numbers, injuries from alligators are rare, according to the Florida wildlife commission. Read More Toronto Maple Leafs Toronto Maple Leafs Olympics Celebrity Toronto Raptors
