More gators removed from community after deadly attack in Fort Pierce

by Luli Ortiz

Thu, February 23rd 2023, 4:09 AM UTC

Deadly gator attack investigating agency, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conversation Commission, speak during the first Spanish Lakes Fairways Homeowners Association meeting since fatal incident on Wednesday February 22, 2023. (WPEC){p}{/p}

FWC hands out pamphlets on living with alligators at HOA meeting. “Be a voice for your community, as a lot of folks here have,” said FWC Regional Commander Division of Law Enforcement Major Dustin Bonds. (WPEC){p}{/p}

VIEW ALL PHOTOS

Deadly gator attack investigating agency, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conversation Commission, speak during the first Spanish Lakes Fairways Homeowners Association meeting since fatal incident on Wednesday February 22, 2023. (WPEC)

FORT PIERCE, Fla — Spanish Lakes Fairways Homeowners Association say more gators have been removed since the deadly alligator attack in Fort Pierce Monday.

“Since that incident, two alligators have been captured today and one yesterday, so we’re on the lookout,” HOA President Jay Mandelker tells CBS12 News.

ALSO SEE: New video shows alligator lunging at woman and her dog in Fort Pierce

FWC at HOA Meeting

On Wednesday, more than 200 residents attended the first homeowners association meeting since the incident.

Officials with Florida Fish and Wildlife Conversation Commission, the investigating agency, were there to answer questions from residents, including how to prevent something like this from happening again.

“Be a voice for your community, as a lot of folks here have,” said FWC Regional Commander Division of Law Enforcement Major Dustin Bonds.

FWC handed out pamphlets and magnets with the number to call to report a nuisance alligator.

However, Major Bonds tells CBS12 News, their contracted wildlife trapper needs the property owner's permission to come in and remove a gator from a private property.

This left some residents upset since they say it’s difficult to get a hold of the owner, Wynne Building Corporation.

One resident said, “we called up six months ago. We got no response from Wynne...this could have been averted. That monster was in my backyard."

Florida Alligator Laws

Feeding of alligators in Florida is illegal.

FWC also tells CBS12 News, if someone is caught breaking the law, that's when FWC and their trapper will step in, without property owner's permission.

“It's a criminal violation to feed an alligator. It’s a misdemeanor in the state of Florida,” Maj. Bonds said.

Beware of Alligator Signs

HOA President Mandelker is now considering adding warning signs around the community to remind residents to stay vigilant.

“Of course, if there are signs warning people, it’s better because somebody might not be thinking of it, might be ambivalent or unaware,” Mandelker said.

Property Owner Responsibility

Other residents want the property owner to do more to keep them safe, something a civil trial attorney told CBS12 News is their responsibility.

"They have a responsibility to maintain it in a reasonably safe condition and not to expose those people to dangers that exist on the property that they become aware of," said Rafael Roca, a board-certified civil trial attorney at the Law Offices of Craig Goldenfarb in West Palm Beach.

Throughout the day, CBS12 News made repeated phone calls to Wynne Building Corporation offices in Port St. Lucie and Miami, for comment.

So far, they have not responded.

Loading ...