Severed Hand Not Enough, Charges Filed Against Boat Captain

Wallace Weatherholt, a 63-year-old air boat captain, was charged with a second-degree misdemeanor of feeding an alligator. While giving a Florida Everglades tour on June 12, Weatherholt's right hand was severed when he dangled a fish over the side. "It's a very sad situation for Mr. Weatherholt, and we wish this never happened to him, but there are laws on the books to protect people from this exact incident," said Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission (FWC) Officer Jorge Pino. After reviewing witness statements and photographic evidence, the state's attorney approved a charge of feeding an alligator.

"


FWC Officers tracked and euthanized the alligator. When gators are fed, they lose their fear of humans. "As soon as you say there's an alligator that's not afraid of humans, that's like signing a death warrant for that alligator", Pino explained. "The more people abide by the rules on the books, the safer the gators will be, and more importantly, the safer the humans will be." His hand was found in the stomach of the gator but could not be reattached.

Weatherholt posted $1,000 bail and is due back in court on August 22. He is facing a fine of up to $500 and jail sentence of up to six months. Boaters feel these charges are adding insult to injury. Many feel a severed hand is punishment enough. Pressure is building to drop the charges. This stunt created a dangerous scenario. While jumping for the fish, the gator landed on the side of the boat with both front legs inside making the air boat unstable. The family of five were lucky the boat did not tip over. Captain Doug's Small Airport Tours who employed Weatherholt has now instituted a strict 'three strike and your out' policy on the feeding of alligators on tour.

Join the Conversation	You are following this conversation | stop following follow this conversation by email