CLEVELAND, Texas – A Cleveland police officer is recovering from surgery after being bitten by an alligator.
It happened around 12:40 a.m. Wednesday morning at the Highway 105 bypass, very close to US 59.
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According to Cleveland Police Chief Darrel Broussard, officers got a call from a driver saying there was a large alligator in the road, approximately 100 yards west of US 59.
Several officers as well as Liberty County sheriff’s deputies, went out to try and get the alligator out of the road.
Broussard said they had also tried to get Texas DPS and game wardens involved, but they were unable to respond due to being tied up with flooding issues.
The officers and deputies tried several maneuvers to get the alligator to move out of the road, but it wouldn’t budge.
With the help of an alligator trapper, they tried to attach a noose to the large reptile’s nostril area when the alligator became violent and ended up biting Sgt. David Edwards.
The attack happened around 1:40 a.m., and Sgt. Edwards was taken by ambulance to a hospital.
Edwards had a large laceration above his left wrist and a tourniquet had to be applied.
He was later taken to HCA Houston Healthcare Kingwood where he had surgery.
Chief Broussard said Edwards also had broken bones in his left wrist and hand. He said the surgery went well, and Edwards is recovering.
Broussard said the gator was “put down and properly disposed of.”